Darkness Within
by BlueShadowStar
Summary: Hotaru was taken by a strange enemy, and when a man named DiZ appears with news and a chance to find the Walker of Silence, Makoto steps up. First destination, find someone in the realm of darkness. MakoRiku maybe others. Dedicated to Sailor Taurus Angel.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: This story will probably contain spoilers for the Kingdom Hearts series, so if you don't want me to ruin anything for you, it would be best to keep away. Sorry**

Okay, now that that is out of the way, I just have one thing to say. To those who read my other story, don't panic because I'm not leaving it and I'll probably update tomorrow, though that is not yet decided. Well, just keep on reading if you're interested.

**Story dedicated to Sailor Taurus Angel** for her support and her help in getting this story out. Seriously, if it wasn't her entusiastic help, this story would probably be out only by December or when I finished my other one. Enjoy Taurus-chan.

I hope everyone enjoys...

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**Chapter 01**

"Haruka was always a though fighter, you shouldn't really take it to heart Hotaru." She directed her gaze on to the petite girl, with shoulder length dark hair. Hotaru had had another one of her spur growths, and while the inner senshi were now seventeen, the Walker of Silence was now fifteen years old.

"I don't know Mako-chan, sometimes it just seems that she doesn't want to train me..." The girl sighed while looking at the great gardens from the balcony they were on.

"Did you forget who stood by you while we were still at war with Youmas and enemies like Galaxia? Don't doubt your Haruka-papa, because she loves you." She turned as well to have a better view of the garden that was so much associated with her tower.

Crystal Tokyo had come, and while it was called as it was, Crystal Tokyo had become a flying citadel with no relationship with earthen Tokyo. Such had been the power of the Silver Crystal when Chibiusa had been born that what surrounded them now had been created. Their Queen was young, but Usagi had always been Usagi, a little more mature, but always sunny and warm.

The Crystal Palace was the centre of the eternal citadel and it was surrounded by eight towers that corresponded to the other senshi respectively. Just like the planets surrounded the Sun, the eight towers surrounded the palace, acting as a shield for it and the people that had followed in the appearance of the crystal era. Ami was designed the first tower, Minako following for the second and Rey being stationed in the third.

Makoto herself had been assigned with the fourth tower and Hotaru the fifth. Haruka was next, and had been recommended for the sixth while her lover was next to her in the distant seventh tower. Setsuna commanded the last, but not least important tower. The towers had a round perimeter to them, just like the planets had an orbit around the Sun, and many inhabitants had chosen to live among the eternal city, each citizen choosing his destination.

Even if most of the citizens chose to reside in the centre, others had chosen the direct protection of the senshi. It wasn't hidden the fact that each of the giant towers, almost palaces, was infused with the power of each of the senshi, and that was why everyone called the towers and their borders, the Celestial Rings of Crystal Tokyo.

"I know, I guess it's just the stress from all of these," she waved her hands in the air, the long sleeves of her dark gown blowing in the soft wind "new event in our lives. Even Michiru doesn't have much time for me, and Setsuna has to walk from the Gates of Time to her tower."

"Hotaru, just don't stress to much, am I not enough to train you?" She made a pout with her rosy lips and waited.

"Oh, come on Makoto, of course you are, but I just think that it's more than time for me to stop bothering you so much." The girl let her face fall down and sighed "I just wish I was as good as a lieder as you guys are, maybe then you wouldn't have so many citizens wanting to join your rings and some would want to join mine."

She was so wrong and everything was messed up in her mind. People didn't find her weak or a bad lieder, it was just the fact that she was young and her powers were frightening, she was after all the senshi of Destruction. Even so, she still had followers, followers that had adoringly started calling her Walker of Silence.

"Do tell Hotaru... do you leave your tower to visit your villagers?" She directed her soft emerald eyes onto the violet depths of her friend.

The young beauty directed her eyes to the great garden once again "I... to tell the truth, I'm a bit afraid of what people might think of me... of what they might whisper on my back, since I'm not much of a talker and I have the powers I have." She watched the girl bite her lip in nervousness.

"Baka!" She bonked the girl on the head and put an arm around her shoulders. It was kind of comforting to know she was still taller than the inners and Hotaru, the hell to what others thought or said about her height and her strength "Do you know people called me Karate Maniac?"

The girl nodded her head "Well, it did annoy me for a long time, but then I just stopped caring and trying to hard to impress men. It wasn't worth my time and I had friends to protect, as well as a Hime, and now I have my followers and my Queen, and of course," she pinched the nose of the petite girl "my friends."

Releasing the girl, she put her hands on the railing, her green robes flowing in the wind "Since I started accepting who I am and what I can do, people started seeing me for who I am and accepting me as their guide." She turned to Hotaru and looked at her with her arms under her chest, her dark and louse trousers billowing with her robes "You, my friend, are loved by your followers. How many times have I heard them whispering nice and sweet things about you?"

Smiling she continued without waiting for the answer "The followers of Saturn are waiting for the blooming of their Walker of Silence. That's what they call you, even your messengers when they bring reports from you." She watched the violet pools widen in shock and surprise "Yes Hotaru, they admire you and they love your mystery and your wisdom." She patted the girl in the back. "Now go and take care of your affairs."

She was knocked back when the girl embraced her "Thank you Mako-chan." She laughed as the wise girl released her and started walking in the direction of the balcony's entrance "By the way Makoto, can I ask something?" She nodded "You've been assigned of protecting me along with Haruka-papa, since you're the closest and strongest, can I now return the favour?"

"What do you mean?" She directed an inquisitive glance at the girl.

"Can I protect you while you protect me? Can I protect my friends?" She smiled at Hotaru who beamed in return.

"You can, as long as I protect you." Hotaru nodded and turned to walk away, leaving the young princess of Jupiter to think and soar in her little world.

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He punched the wall of the laboratory once again, his white bangs being pulled back by the impulse. He had failed; he had completely failed in his mission. How would he be able to bring Sora back? When would he be able to help his friend and be the one to save him this time? Gritting his teeth he punched the wall once again.

"You know that won't help, we'll just have to try harder next time." Looking at the entrance of the small computer room, he saw DiZ walking in, his red robes flowing on the floor "His strength is normal, after all he is who he is."

Pushing himself from the wall, Riku crossed his arms under his chest and looked at his partner questioningly "How am I going to win against him like this? I'm still too weak..."

"Calm down Riku. I bring news from the Organisation." He furrowed his brows in suspicion and paid attention to the older man "It seems they are looking for someone that has powers over darkness, and second to some of my information, it seems that whomever they're looking for might be able to open the gates to Kingdom Hearts."

"Do you know who this person is?"

"Unfortunately no, my information isn't clear enough to tell me who it is, but we still know that the person has some control over darkness, and I know in which world that person might be, since there aren't many Crystal Tokyo's around." He watched the man join his hands, each one being hidden by the opposing sleeve.

He directed his clear blue eyes to the back, his mind wandering beyond the door "What do we do?" He asked softly.

"We have to go there and worn the fighters of the world that they might be having some unexpected visitors. We can't let the Organisation put their hands on whomever this person is, we don't even know if the individual has a clear mind." He turned his back to the bandaged man and caught hold of a strip of black cloth.

Pushing the hood of his cloak over his silvery white hair, he turned to the door until DiZ's deep voice stopped him "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get stronger and inform the King of these new problems. I'll be back in two days, so until then just wait for me and keep an eye on him." Putting the black cloth into his pocket he opened the electronic door.

"Riku... are you going to seek darkness?" It seemed the man knew what he was planning, after all DiZ was just a name to keep his true identity hidden.

"To defeat Roxas and bring Sora back, there is just one thing I can do to become stronger, and that is to embrace darkness. I'll see you soon." Waving behind his back, he let the door close and entered through a black portal.

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Her window curtains were fluttering with the soft wind that wafted into her room. With her hands behind her head, she watched the rhythmic movements of the soft fabric and the light from the moon that lit her entire room, throwing overwhelming shadows in every corner.

Maybe it would be better if she just forgot about sleeping and resigned herself with having a walk through the gigantic garden around her tower. It had been two days since Usagi had summoned them all because of some ripples that appeared to be affecting the balance of different worlds. At least that had been what Setsuna had proclaimed.

Haruka had mentioned a change in the winds and Michiru had talked about the rage of the seas, not to mention the dreams that seemed to be shacking the foundations of the strong miko. It seemed that even the tower resonated with the power she released during her sleep, and yet she could not find anything in the flames.

Anything was a way of putting things, for it seemed that even if the flames did not show anything to their proclaimed tamer, they did turn an unreal shade of black. Rey had been a bit shaken with the situation, for when once her flames had been an enchanting beacon of crimson light they were now the colours of the black flames in Hades' home.

She herself had been feeling the growing power of static electricity in the clouds and skies, but without wanting to raise the uproar that had set in the Palace's hallways, she had learned to keep the information to herself. There was no need for another sign when there were already the signs from three of the outer scouts and from one of the inners.

Huffing and pulling back the covers of her bed, she got out into the fresh air of the night, the wind playing with her loose hair. She couldn't sleep and she couldn't focus during the day; at times she could swear someone was calling out her name, and during the night it intensified in such a way that her heart felt like it would burst with anxiousness.

The loose silky material of her pyjama pants joined the wind in its uncontrolled dance. Far away she could see Saturn's tower in all its majestic splendour, the crystal that composed its structure radiating a soft violet colour. Maybe she could make a trip there and annoy the little princess? She had never seen a grumpy Hotaru, and it sure was amusing imagining one.

Smiling slightly, she turned back to her room and decided that just because she couldn't sleep, it didn't mean that the others couldn't have the sweet honey of dreamland. A blast of light from the corner of her eyes made her turn her head back towards the scenery, and what she saw made her body pump adrenaline all over.

The tower of Saturn was pulsing with energy and that could only mean one thing, Hotaru was being attacked. But how? To get into Hotaru's tower they would have had to pass Setsuna's Tower. Turning around and into her room she stopped in her tracks.

She suspected that the attackers were remnants of the Youma they had fought in the past, but it seemed her supposition was wrong, as was Ami's but that didn't matter, since not even Setsuna knew who their enemy would be this time. Looking closely at the places were the soft rays of moonlight hit, she saw shadows rise from the ground.

Kami had to be kidding her. Were they even dangerous? Were these small creatures that dangerous? She felt her body fly some meters away from the balcony's entrance and getting up, she growled. They were strong all right. Where she had been standing some minutes ago, there was a slightly taller humanoid figure, dark like the others and shacking his body all over. They all looked like shadows.

Hurling a Sparkling Wide Pressure in the direction of the figure, she saw him and some of the others disappear into nothingness, pink lights floating out of their bodies. There was no time to transform, and she thanked Crystal Tokyo for boosting their powers, because ever since the future had become present, no transformation was needed for their powers to be available.

A flash from the window warned her that Hotaru's tower had sent another power wave. There was no time and the appearance of more shadows only made her growl in frustration. She continued attacking more and more of the strange creatures, but they kept on coming back from the shadows. She had to get to Hotaru, and she was sure that the epicentre of this attack was there.

Running into the hallway of the tower she saw many of the guards engaged in fights with different types of monsters. Taking one of the swords that adorned the walls, she started slashing the creatures clad in white jumpsuits.

"Makoto Hime, it would be wise if you got back into your quarters!" Turning to the soldier that had just joined her, she shook her head.

"I need to get to Hotaru's tower, there's trouble there." She started running down the corridors vanquishing whatever got in her way. The fastest way to get there would be to use the transport that Ami had created and implanted in each of the towers. It worked just like the Sailor Transport, but not all the senshi were needed, since the towers were all in synchrony and their power fed the main supply.

"I'm sure Haruka Hime will be there. The best choice would be for you to stay so we could..." It seemed he had followed her.

"I trust you guys to protect the tower and take care of everything." Turning from the panel of transport she looked at him "That is your duty as guards of the tower of Jupiter." Stepping into the tube-like format of her transport, she let the strange sensation take over her body "Queen Usagi gave me a duty, and that was to guard Hotaru."

"I understand, but Haruka Hime was given the same duty, and I'm sure she..." She never heard him finish his sentence, because the image in front of her eyes had completely changed. Where in her tower the wall gleamed green with her power reflected on the crystal, the walls in front of her had a purplish colour.

The transportation room was completely destroyed; it was a surprise that the device hadn't been involved in the chaos that surrounded it. Sprinting to the door, she halted just in time to stop her collision with Hotaru who was panting. The Soldier of Destruction was still in her night gown, but the Silent Glaive was being proudly supported by it's owner.

"Hotaru..." She released a sigh of relief when she took in the minor injuries of her friend "What's going on?"

The girl breathed and walked towards the transportation panel "There were these strange creatures coming out of shadows and others that just appeared from nowhere. I was in the library reading a little when this happened, and even though I was managing to keep them away, they just kept on coming again and then..." The girl looked at her with stormy eyes "We have to get out of here. Three guys in dark robes appeared from nowhere, and they're strong..."

Approaching the petite girl, she put a hand on her shoulder and nodded "This might be what Setsuna was talking about, and if you said they were strong..." If the Soldier of Destruction had been the one to say it, then there was probably little that both of them could do "We better go to Haruka before she just charges in here."

Hotaru was just about to reply when the panel in front of her eyes just burst into flames. Hearing a soft 'They're here' from her side, she pulled the girl away from the device just as flames surrounded them.

She heard Hotaru whisper Silent Wall just as a pair of flaming spiky chakram went flying in their direction. When the weapons bounced of the barrier, she saw what looked like giant flying water notes surround them inside the circle of fire. Raising her hand in the air she yelled Supreme Thunder. It was a dangerous move, since the opposing attack was composed of water, but her attack made them disappear nonetheless.

Two figures clad in long black coats blended in front of them from dark portals. Were these guys able to create portals like Setsuna? One of them had the pair of spiky chakram in his hands and the other had a giant blue sitar look-alike. They had hoods covering their heads, which complicated her task of identifying them, but she was sure they were males, looking at their figure.

"Geez, is it just my impression, or is this place just full of babes?" She cocked an eyebrow in suspicion and raised her sword, weary of the sitar holder.

"Don't be an idiot, we have a mission to complete. The sooner we finish the sooner we get rid of that pain." Looking in question at her friend, she saw the proclaimed Walker of Silence glance her way and shake her head just as the chakram user got into a fighting position.

"Men, I'm the wrong person for this job. Can't we just talk our way out of an unpleasant situation? It's so bad to hit on girls..." The sitar guy looked at his partner and after the other shook his head, he just huffed and got into a fighting stance.

When she saw both figures step forward to attack, she hurled a Sparkling Wide Pressure in the direction of the one with the funny jokes. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Hotaru engage the chakram holder in a fierce battle of weapons, Silent Glaive parrying flaming chakram.

For her sarcastic luck, it seemed she had chosen a user of water attacks, which wasn't totally bad, since lightning and water could be a double edged sword to whomever could use them. His giant water notes weren't that dangerous, but now and then she found herself dodging massive gaizers that appeared from nowhere.

Her punches and kicks had been connecting with various parts of his body, which was good since she had to stop using her electric attacks, because the floor was covered in water and she didn't want to hurt Hotaru. Aiming a double kick at his chest, she saw the stranger fly against one of the walls. Thanks to him, she was now supporting some bruises and some parts of her pyjama was wet, not to talk about ruined.

Makoto felt her body connect painfully with the wall. Groaning softly, she heard Hotaru in the background call out her name, but her eyes only let her see the tiles of the floor hazily. Pulling her tall figure against the wall she was able to stand on her shaky legs. She couldn't leave Hotaru to take care of two enemies on her own. Wait, two enemies?

Looking at her side, she saw the fallen figure of her opponent who was slowly raising himself and on her other side she saw Hotaru being held back by her opponent, a desperate look in her eyes while she examined the fallen senshi of Jupiter from afar. If their two attackers where busy, then who had...? Directing her tired eyes in front, she saw a third man with the same black coat as the others and a giant claymore look-alike in his hands.

She had forgotten that Hotaru had mentioned three figures before, and that almost made her groan in frustration. She just watched in surprise as her opponent flied at her with his claymore raised in a deadly attack. There was no way she could move out of the way in time, and because of that Hotaru paid a high price in raising her Silent Glaive for another Silent wall.

Her enemy was bounced back, but the senshi of Saturn had left herself unprotected, which her opponent used to knock her unconscious. It was with a heavy heart that Makoto saw the Walker of Silence fall into the arms of the fire user and disappear into a black portal.

"Hotaru..." She tried reaching the girl but someone pulled her back by the wrist, and she turned to glare at her captor. She saw the sitar holder disappear through a black portal as well, and her new opponent didn't have his weapon in his hands.

"This Kingdom has strong fighters, but we just came to get one." He pulled his hood back revealing long blue hair and slightly pointy ears.

"What do you people want from Hotaru? Where is she?" Shaking his hold of her wrist, she gave them some meters of distance.

"What we want from her is our concern only." His voice was too velvety for her taste and his eyes too calculative "As for where she is, well all I can say is that she'll be well treated as long as she follows our wishes."

His calm facade was driving her mad, and a pissed of senshi of Jupiter was something very dangerous "Bring her back right now." She growled at him, adopting a fighting stance.

He shook his head at her "That is not possible, but maybe I'll take you to her someday, that is as soon as we return to this place to get ourselves some powerful Heartless. Your display of powers was quite interesting and even being in the condition you are, you still want to fight. Impressive."

"And you haven't even seen the half of it." She growled.

"I'm sure of it, but it will have to wait for another time. I have to take my leave Amazon of Thunder," he smirked "I'll see you soon. Until then enjoy this." And he was gone, disappearing into a dark portal just like his comrades, leaving behind large numbers of the strange shadowy creatures.

She gave some paces in his direction, but he was already gone. Staring blankly at the room around her, she paid no attention to the almost extinguished fires and the destroyed installations as tears gathered in her eyes. She started throwing thunder attacks all around, blind fury making her dull to the pain her attacks caused on her from the water on the floor.

She just grabbed onto the sword that had fallen during her last fight and continued slashing at the shadows that continued appearing. Her right knee hit the floor as her body started showing the permanent signs of exhaustion. The creatures were approaching her and she couldn't even move her arms.

Breathing hard she looked warily at one of the bigger creatures that was preparing to charge at her, bracing herself she watched in mild surprise as he retrieved and disappeared into the shadows, followed by all the others.

Haruka had chosen that time to rush into the room with Michiru and Setsuna in her toe. The princess of Uranus looked at her and asked the question her heart wanted to know "Where is Hotaru?" At that moment she let herself fall completely on her knees.

Setsuna looked at the Silent Glaive that was on the floor and stated what all the newcomers knew deep down their hearts. Haruka released an angry scream, and all she could do was let silent tears run down her cheeks.

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He was walking in darkness for quite a while without any knowledge of the time that had gone by. He had felt his mind scream for something quite often, but whatever it was about, he did not know. He had to support the feeling of the dark swallowing him; he had to do it for Sora and Kairi.

When he had finished informing the King of what DiZ had mentioned, he had entered the realm of darkness to seek the power that had been mentioned to him. To bring back Sora he would let his heart be swallowed by darkness.

Wandering around there was nothing more to do than just command the wandering Heartless to leave him alone and not attack him, though now and then he let himself be carried away and started vanquishing the mindless creatures. There was also the close contacts with the Organisation, he saw them walking around many times, probably travelling around the worlds to get more Heartless.

He was sure it had been some days since his decision, even though the dark realm didn't allow for any time control, and he knew that DiZ was waiting for him, probably a bit annoyed but waiting nonetheless; he smirked at the amusing image.

He could hear Ansem's Heartless taunting him, and accusing him that he would never be able to surrender to darkness while his heart craved for light. How could someone whish for something that he did not really want? His eyes wanted to see light.

Reaching into the pocket of his Organisation coat, he retrieved the piece of black cloth that had been stored there and looking warily at it he decided that the knowledge of needing it was always inside his being. Always walking forward he started tying the soft cloth around his eyes, and he knew that this was the best solution for him and for his heart to completely accept darkness.

The moment his blue eyes disappeared behind the binding of dark cloth his hands went into his white tresses. So it was working? Bright flashes crashed everywhere behind his eyelids until it all stopped to blend into a single image. A tall girl with lose and long brown hair was tossed against a wall, her attacker standing a few feet away from her and supporting his long claymore.

He knew that weapon and he would recognise that figure from anywhere. That was the Organisation's number six, Saix. The cold and calculative blue haired madman, more known among his fellow companions as the Luna Diviner. His strange vision went to show the chakram wielder parrying a shorter girl that was trying to reach her friend. At least he supposed it was her friend, seen has she was calling out her name.

Makoto, that was the name his hears registered. He watched in silent frustration has Saix charged at the dazed figure leaning on the wall, only to be bounced back by a purple bubble protecting her. The smaller girl had her weapon raised in the air, and he believed she had been the one to protect the other, but so much for the good plan, because the Flurry of Dancing Flames knocked her out cold, and disappeared with her trough a portal.

"Hotaru…" His image focused on the bruised girl and he almost forgot to breath when the her shining emerald iris focused on his. He would swear she was looking and reaching for him if it wasn't for the reality of his situation, after all he was nothing more than a silent watcher. His hand unconsciently tried to reach hers only to touch nothingness.

Saix pulled her back and he almost felt the anger her eyes were radiating towards her captor. He saw Demyx blend into a portal as well though he had not noticed the Melodious Nocturne before, and his raged appearance satisfied him a little.

Saix stayed behind with the girl and he paid close attention to their conversation. Could it be that the girl they had taken was the person that DiZ had mentioned? He felt sorrow grip his heart, as the possibility downed on him. They had failed in warning them, but most of his mind blamed himself for taking so long in the realm.

Watching the girl fall into a fighting position he felt surprise take over his body. She would still fight? Even in the condition she was? Somehow when Saix refused her request and retreated he felt relieved, because there was no way she could win against the man with all those bruises. This Amazon made him remember his friend so much. The determination in her eyes and the unwillingness to give up were all traits he admired in Sora and now this strange girl.

One of his knees hit the black floor under him and he felt tempted to take the blindfold off his eyes, just because of the intensity he was feeling from the attacks she was hurling at the Heartless.

She had a strange control over thunder and he asked himself if this young woman could use magic like Donald and Sora, but seeing as her attacks seemed to have too much pure energy in them he decided to leave that supposition out. He was glad that she had stopped using her powers, since they were affecting her as much as the Heartless. Wait, glad, relieved, surprise and anger? Why was he feeling such things just because of a stranger?

Was it because it was possible for him to relate to her? He had lost Sora and Kairi, just like she had lost one of her friends, and that was probably why he was in such an uproar, and yet he could not explain the intensity of the feelings.

He could see she was exhausted when her leg touched the ground and her sword impaled itself heavily in the tiles. He guessed that she had reached her limit, for she was doing nothing to the creatures that were approaching her, nor to the one that was preparing to charge at her. He had to do something, his heart was screaming at him to do something and he did.

Mustering all the strength he could despite the painful sensation in his mind, he called for the Heartless. It could be a wasted attempt, seeing as the Heartless followed the orders of those that were stronger, but thanks to whatever was around him, the creatures retreated and disappeared in shadows, probably in a quest to find more hearts to swallow. Smirking lightly he contemplated the slight improvement in his control over darkness.

His mind went blank when three other people joined the fallen girl, and he could only guess they had been comrades, for they didn't look like anyone from the Organisation. Putting his hands on the floor for support he sighed in relief as soon as the aching sensation started dissipating.

It had been quite an experience. Sure, he had been invaded by Ansem's Heartless thoughts but this had been something completely different and there was one conclusion he could take from all this, his heart hadn't accepted darkness completely, proof of that was the effort he had to make just to send the Heartless away.

Raising to his full height he hoped that DiZ would take notice of these events, because he couldn't leave the realm now, not now that he was a step closer to becoming stronger. Walking forward once more, he hoped as well that the green-eyed young woman would be okay, and he wished the same for her friend that had been taken.

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Two days had passed since Hotaru had been kidnapped by the mysterious enemy, and the tower of Saturn was in chaos. If that wasn't enough, every now and then more of those creatures appeared in the villages of all the Celestial Rings. Guards had to patrol the streets and even the senshi had to appear once in a while when giant shadows attacked.

She herself had to give up going back to the Time Gates, to keep total control of the last outer ring. Haruka tried to fend the creatures away from her boundary as well as from the boundary of Hotaru's tower and Makoto did the same. It seemed the Jupiter Hime blamed herself for what had happened, which was foolish and non helpful in these times of chaos.

The rest of the inners kept a close look on the central Palace and Rey had gotten herself into many arguments with Usagi, because the young Queen wanted to join her comrades in the fights and help her people, which was dangerous since she was the central pillar of Crystal Tokyo. That led Mamoru into offering his help instead of his wife's in fighting the strange forces and protecting the boundaries of the Palace.

Walking down the halls of her tower, she saw a messenger run her way. By his expression she could see the matter was urgent and troubling. Putting a hand over the shoulder of the young messenger, she let him catch his breath before asking, "Is there a problem?"

"Setsuna Hime, there is a strange man at the entrance of the tower that states he has knowledge on the enemy and demands to speak with the Hierarch of the Kingdom." He replied.

Her eyes widened a bit at the statement and she remembered a slight hazy scene in the river of time, a scene that showed the appearance of a stranger from another world with a vast knowledge of what could become of the future, and if she wasn't wrong he would be looking for help.

"You can return to your post. I'll take care of our unexpected visitor." Letting him nod at her, she continued down the halls in the direction of the entrance of her tower.

When she got there, she saw a tall man with red bandages covering his face and head and wearing robes of the same whine-red colour. He sure seemed an outsider to her, and she could easily believe he was royalty just because of his posture; hands hidden by the opposite sleeve and a regal stand, just like the image in the clear waters.

He turned honey-brown eyes in her direction and smiled politely "I wish to speak with your Queen. The topic of discussion is of your best interest, I believe."

"I've been waiting for you, DiZ-sama." He looked in slight surprise at her, and she bowed "I'm Setsuna Meioh, guardian of Pluto and the Gates of Time. If you follow me, I'll take you to see my Queen, though I do hope that your news aren't as bad as your aura emanates." He nodded and followed her in the direction of the transportation room.

"By the way, sorry for the slight chaos but welcome to Crystal Tokyo. I'm sure you know about the citadel, seeing as you found it quite well, but I'm made to inform you that we are in the last Celestial Ring and to get to the palace we'll be using teletransportation, so I hope you don't mind the discomfort."

"There's no problem with that, I've been travelling around for quite a while, so it is safe to say I'm quite used to those kinds of situations." She looked in curiosity at him, but decided to leave things at that. She was sure she would be finding out a lot of curious things today, and Kami forbid anything truly bad from happening, while they were busy in the conference room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning: This story will contain spoilers for the Kingdom Hearts series, so if you don't want me to ruin it for you, don'y read. Sorry.**

It's good to be back, lol, and sorry it took me forever to update, but I'm a really slow tipper and college is a pain, but oh well, I guess it was worth the wait, since this chapter is way longer than any of the chapters I've writen so far. I'm sorry to inform, at least to those who don't like long chapters, that I'll have to start making long chapters because if I did short ones, this story wouldn't move, and yeah, if I had made this chapter short, than you would only be reading the talk between DiZ and the senshi (I think it's way to long, but I had no choice). Sorry for the rumble.

Oh yeah, I'm not sure if you guys got my replies, since FF was kind of crazy for some days, but be sure that I did reply to everyone and that I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the support mina. Oh, by the way, Hotaru will have a love interest, moifa-san, since it's unavoidable and she does have an important part. Lol, thanks again for everything.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing unfortunatelly...

**_Story dedicated to Sailor Tauros Angel..._**

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**Chapter 02**

Never had he imagined that the citadel of Crystal Tokyo was so beautiful. That woman, Setsuna was her name, had transported them into the big crystal Palace that was seen beyond the towers, and he was now waiting for the imperial court to fill in the room.

Setsuna left him in the conference room while she went off to call the other members of the royal guard and the queen. He stood by one of the large windows of the room, and he really couldn't say that he had seen anything more beautiful then what his eyes saw now.

He could see the towers shine and the powers that were released from them. It almost looked like a rainbow, different hues shinning off the surface of the crystalline clarity in different tones. It was almost like a fairytale and so much like what Radiant Garden had been.

It was a pity though, because it seemed that Crystal Tokyo would have the same end as Radiant Garden. He could see the floods of Heartless beyond the walls of the palace being held by and defeated by the squads of soldiers. Looking closely at the image of the shinning towers he could see that there was one that was bleeping like a failing lamp, its light like a small moon in between two titans.

It was an interesting contrast, violet shinning like a shy child between two of the most brilliant lights, radiant like two proud fathers, one a sandy orange and the other a strong forest green. It seemed that the towers couldn't maintain their purpose without their source of power.

There was one thing that he found peculiar about this scene and that was the giant thunderstorm that hang over the tallest tower, its green shine turning silvery with each of the angry thunderclaps. It was a magnificent sight, powerful and wild like an enormous beast and he was sure that not even the Savage Nymph could have created something like that.

"It's heartbreaking to see that she still blames herself for what happened to Hotaru." Turning around slightly startled, he saw a petite girl with blond hair in neat buns. She was wearing a long and silky white dress, golden hems surrounding the upper part. He bowed slightly when he noticed the small tiara on her head and she returned the gesture with a polite smile.

"Then that is the doing of one of your warriors?" He asked directing his head back to the window.

"Yes it is, and I'd make sure to not get near the tower at the moment. Jupiter cries for a comrade she thinks is lost from her reach." She came to his side "I'd make sure as well to not go near the tower of Uranus, because it seems that the sandstorms are getting out of control."

"I see." Turning to her he continued, "It's nice to meet you, your majesty. My name is DiZ and I might be able to help you with what is happening right now."

"Yes, I know. Setsuna has already talked to me about your issue, and if I'm not mistaken you're not from this world. I'll just have to ask for a bit more of your patience. The others must arrive any second now, and I'd prefer for them to be here when you start." She turned to the long table in the centre and sat down, directing him to have a seat as well.

"Would you mind telling me the history of this citadel and of what has been happening? I already know about your friend and a bit of the story of the Silver Millennium, but much of the recent history is unknown to me."

She nodded and smiled her eyes filling with a warm shine of treasured memories. He had to admit that it entranced him quite a bit. Stories of difficult and victorious fights, of a growing friendship that bonded reborn souls like an eternal family. She told him about the appearance of Crystal Tokyo as soon as her first daughter was born, and about the towers surrounding it and subsequently about their inhabitants.

He already knew the story about the nine warriors of the Solar System of this world, as did he know that a peaceful kingdom had been destroyed millenniums in the past, forcing the current ruler of the time to send her daughter and court to be reborn in the future.

That was part of the information he had in his computer, and it was always good to have some kind of background of the different worlds. So it seemed that the girl the Organisation had taken could really have powers over darkness, and the different titles that were given to her did not lessen his suspicion.

"We're trying to come up with a solution to get Hotaru-chan back. Everyone is doing their best to maintain the shadows away. Ami is trying to find where our enemy comes from, and Setsuna is waiting for Ami's conclusion to open a portal to the enemy's world."

"So you already know that your enemy is from a different world?"

"Yes we do." She smiled at him "It might not look like it, but most of our technology is quite advanced, and even though Luna says it's not as good as it was back in the Silver Millennium, Ami does her best for us to achieve that level."

"I suppose Ami is your scientist and the guardian of the first tower?" She nodded "Then I guess that explains the thick fog surrounding the Palace walls, she is the ice and mist manipulator." He murmured to himself.

They heard a knock on the thick doors and he saw three females walk in, each one looking more exhausted than the other, and he found himself watching in awe as they still held a regal posture while walking and sitting down on the chairs. They had a beauty that many couldn't rival, and probably the power to accompany it, he mused.

A short blue haired girl sat to his left, her light blue dress being smoothed by petit hands. The midnight black haired girl sat to his right and the Queen's left side, her neat priestess clothes folded carefully on her lean body. She turned her violet irises to him, and he felt like his soul was being read in the short period of time until she bowed her head in acknowledgment.

The girl that sat to the Queen's left side had sunny blond hair that could rival hers and when his eyes met hers she smiled lightly, eyes crinkling from slight mischief, though it was slightly darkened from worrying thoughts.

"These are three of the guardians from the inner rings." Usagi pointed to the raven-haired woman "Rey-chan takes care of the third ring and has control over fire. She is also second in command of the inner senshi and the one who started having premonitions of problems arising in Crystal Tokyo."

"Premonitions?" He inquired.

"Hai. My power over fire and spirits is strong, and my life as a priestess has only strengthen that power, which in turn strengthened my psychic ability." That was the velvety reply from his right.

"I see. Quite interesting, and I believe that's why she is known as the Prophetic Fire?"

Usagi nodded and pointed to the blue-haired girl "Ami-chan, as you already know, is the medic-scientist and the guardian of the first ring and tower. She has control over ice and mist." He turned to the girl and acknowledged her, her business like eyes softening slightly to return the gesture.

"She is also our wisdom." He looked at the other blond who had her hair pushed back by a red bow "The technology we have here is all thanks to her." She grinned at the blushing Ami, and his lips quirked up in a slight smile. They were still young and he wondered if this Kingdom would really last.

"Quite impressive for someone so young. I guess that explains the title your Queen told me about and which is given to you, Artic Wisdom." Ami only blushed more and replied with a small 'thank you'.

Usagi waved her hand to the side "Minako-chan commands the second ring and is the first in command of the inner senshi, as well as being the one to come up with most of the defensive tactics. Her powers are over energy and she slightly manipulates metal." The young Queen smiled slightly "She has a sixth sense when it comes to feeling the love bounds that join people, hence why her power is interpreted in a different way."

Rey laughed by his side and he looked at her "She's always being stalked because of her beauty and her flirting compulsions." And she laughed harder when the girl in front of her just raised her chest in pride.

"Then I suppose the title fits well, both for your personality and your features right, Golden Goddess?" She only smiled approvingly at him.

"We don't have time for this Setsuna! Why call a conference when we have the citadel to protect and Hotaru to find." He looked at the door to see three females enter, one of them being Setsuna.

"You won't regret this Haruka, I promise you won't lose your time with this affair, since it's of the best interest for us all." He saw Setsuna reply to the sandy-blond haired woman that had talked.

The woman called Haruka scoffed and sat two chairs away from Rey's left, while an aquamarine girl sat by her left. Setsuna sat by Ami, her garnet orbs still observing Haruka.

"It's good to see you again Haruka-chan, Michiru-chan." Usagi smiled at them and then looked at him, ready to introduce the newcomers. She pointed to tall senshi by his side first.

"Setsuna-chan you already know. She is the lieder of the eighth ring and her powers are over time." Smiling kindly at him, she continued "She was the one that told me we would be receiving an interesting visitor a day ago."

"Setsuna also guards the Gates of Time, for that she is known as Temperance of Chronos." Ami informed him, making the tanned woman smile back at her.

"Haruka is the guardian of the sixth ring." She pointed to the tomboyish girl, who only nodded in acknowledgement "Her control over wind and earth earned her the title of Wind Walker. She produces some of the best sword fighters, so I would recommend staying away from her bad side." She smiled amusedly.

"Michiru-chan," she mentioned the aquamarine girl "is the keeper of the seventh ring, and her power over water and the seas make her one of the most serene fighters you will ever know."

"Her instrumental music is also crystal-like and enchanting, and whomever hears it find themselves lost in dream-like illusions. Isn't that right, Silent Siren?"

Michiru smiled broadly at her side partner and nodded at him, intertwining her fingers with Haruka's. He suspected they were lovers perhaps.

"Where is Makoto, Setsuna?" Rey inquired. Everyone turned expectantly to the dark-green haired woman, and she only shacked her head.

"I contacted her and she did acknowledge me, but she did not confirm her presence." She turned her head to Usagi "Gomen, Usagi-chan."

"It's no problem, I'm sure Haruka can put her up to date with what will be discussed here today, right Haruka-chan?" The blond stiffened and nodded rather reluctantly "Then I guess we can start. Mina this is DiZ-san and he comes from a different world. He says he has information on the enemy and what is happening." She made a gesture towards him, and he stood to bow.

The females around him nodded and he looked at Usagi "You can start DiZ-san." He opened his mouth to start talking, when someone knocked on the door. A tall brown-haired girl walked in and pulled the chair in front of him.

"Sorry I'm late. The teleport in Hotaru's tower isn't working yet, so I had to walk to my own tower and transport myself from there." She said before sitting down.

"That's ok Mako-chan, we were just starting anyways. This is DiZ-san and he comes from another world. He claims to have information on the enemy." Usagi turned to DiZ "Makoto is the guardian of the fourth ring, and her powers over thunder and wood are well known by her people."

He could see that her body was well toned like the sandy-blond girl that sat a chair away from her left side, still feminine but a fighter nonetheless. The other girls had the same fighting aura to them, but hers was more disciplined and apparent. She was an Amazon, he mused silently.

"Mako-chan is best known as the Amazon of Thunder by her people, although I did hear that men prefer to know her as a wild vixen, right Mako-chan." Minako nudged the emerald-eyed girl on the side, while the later tried to hide her very apparent blush.

"Minako," she growled, "this is not the time nor the opportunity!" The mischievous blond just giggled when her friend lowered her head in embarrassment. Rey glared at Minako and she abruptly stopped her fit. He saw Usagi sigh and motion for him to go on.

"Your Queen has told me that the men who attacked you and took your friend, were dressed in long black coats." Some of the girls nodded "They are best known to be part of an Organisation that travels around the worlds to join people to their cause."

"Let me start from the beginning." He sat down again "The creatures that are now swarming your citadel are Heartless and Nobodies. Heartless are born from the dark feelings in people's hearts and they are often known for destroying entire worlds. They belong to the realm of darkness that is beyond the door to Kingdom Hearts."

He saw Ami look at him questioningly and so he explained about the Keyblade and its powers to seal the worlds and about Kingdom Hearts "It seems someone started making experiments with the human heart and its feelings. Curiosity made men experience on the uncontrollable darkness and discover Heartless, from there things went wrong."

"Heartless are beings with no heart or consciousness and they obey the strongest." He folded is hands "Nobodies are different from Heartless. They are born when a strong person becomes a Heartless, and even though they don't have hearts they are able to think. The weakest Nobodies are known as Dusk, and you will easily discern them from Heartless."

"What about this Organisation?" Asked Makoto.

"The Organisation was originally composed by thirteen members, hence why it is called Organisation XIII, but they've already lost some of their members." He heard Haruka murmur something about idiots losing more members in the future "I would advise you to be careful, because the members of the organisation are all Nobodies."

"They are the most powerful kind of Nobodies and they can fool you pretty well. Even though they have a human appearance, they have no feelings whatsoever, so don't feel compassion for them, because even if they seem saddened, they don't feel anything at all."

"That is quite... strange. We've fought youmas and enemies in general that were corrupted either by dark energy or by their dreams, but never have we fought against..." Rey paused to think of a better word "shadows of former humans."

"It's more like empty shells, Lady Rey. I'm not sure of what their plans are, but I do believe they want to use your friend to open the doors to Kingdom Hearts, seeing as she has some powers over darkness."

"I'm not sure about that DiZ-san." He looked questioningly at the senshi of Time "You see, even if Hotaru as a past connected to darkness, her powers are only over destruction, rebirth and silence. She is able to open rifts into dark corridors with her Silent Glaive which allow her to travel around different worlds, that I've known since the Silver Millennium, but that's only what she can do."

"She never used that power though, for it was never necessary." She paused slightly "I believe if this Organisation would use Hotaru for anything, it would be to destroy worlds, but seeing as her Henshin pen and her Silent Glaive were left behind, there aren't much possibilities that that will happen."

"Like you said Lady Setsuna, your friend is able to open rifts into the dark corridors in which Heartless travel to reach the worlds, at least that is what it seems. A companion of mine escaped from the realm of darkness using one of those corridors, so it might happen that they will be able to reach that place by those means, and the only thing they have to do is come back and retrieve her weapon."

"Don't they use the same mean to travel? Makoto saw them disappear through dark portals." He directed his one amber eye to the Wind Walker.

"Not much can be seen in darkness, and not even Riku can find the corridor again, so the only conclusion I can take from the disappearance of your friend is that they want to use her to find and open Kingdom Hearts, since the Keyblade master has disappeared and his Nobody has betrayed the Organisation."

There was no reason to explain to them the real reasons for why he thought Organisation XIII wanted Hotaru. It seemed that they knew little about what had happened in the Silver Millennium, and it wasn't his place to tell them and even if he wanted, his information was quite fuzzy.

"I see. Thank you for sharing this information with us, DiZ-san." He noticed that the young Queen had quite an exhausted expression beneath her shinning smile "Setsuna also mentioned that you have a request to do, do you want to tell us what it is?"

"Well, my companion, Riku, has entered into one of the dark space rifts, and he hasn't returned in quite a while. Riku is quite strong but his confidence wavers ever so slightly, and since he wasn't able to defeat the Keyblade Wielder's Nobody, he set of to find power."

"I'm old, and my power isn't what it used to be, so I'm asking your help to enter the dark realm and search for him, and I know you will be able to enter there using the weapon your friend has left." He looked directly to Usagi, only to find a sad smile on her face.

"I'm sorry DiZ-san, but Crystal Tokyo is completely chaotic as you can see. None of the soldiers would be good enough to help you, since they are nothing more than simple mortals and the senshi have their hands full of trouble with the Heartless that are roaming the Inner and Outer rings, not to talk about the problem with Hotaru-chan."

"The Heartless won't disappear your Majesty, not unless you seal the door to this world." He propped his elbows on the crystalline table "To do that you need Sora who has been in a deep slumber for a year, and to get Sora back, Roxas must remember who he was and Riku is the only one able to defeat him."

"If the Heartless continue to invade your world, no matter how bright your light is, it will be swallowed by darkness." He had seen that happen to many worlds, and if Sora remained unconscious there was not much to do, not to talk about the disappearance of the King.

"I'm afraid he is right Usagi. My premonitions and dreams only show Crystal Tokyo covered in shadows, and that can't be a good omen. It might happen that our forces will be forced to draw back." Rey stated, her eyes closing in meditation.

Usagi sighed and contemplated the city beyond the windows of the room. He knew it was hard to rule a Kingdom, and not all the decisions that were concerned with it were good for everyone.

A pair of hands slammed against the table and he looked in surprise at the thunderous brunette who was standing over the table. She was looking pleadingly and determinately at her young Queen.

"I'll go with him Usagi. Let me help them and bring Hotaru back."

"But Mako-chan, what about your tower and the borders of your ring? We are already missing one of our own, and you going away doesn't help anything."

"I'm sure Rey and Haruka can control things between the towers of Saturn and Jupiter." Replied Setsuna.

"And will you go on your own, Makoto?"

"There is no need for anyone else to go. Hotaru is gone because of me and I should have protected her." He saw Haruka raise herself to argue only to be stopped by Michiru's hand and her whispered words.

"I guess that's decided then. Everyone's dismissed, minus Setsuna and Makoto. There are some things to decide." He started getting up until Usagi motioned for him to sit back down again "This has to do with you to DiZ-san."

All the girls emptied the room, each one of them turning around to smile and nod at Makoto. The three of them sat back down and he waited for the talk to begin.

"Do you have a plan Setsuna-chan?" Usagi asked only for the green-haired senshi to smile and nod.

"It's noting complicated Usagi-chan. We let Makoto go and help DiZ-san in his quests, while he helps her get more information on the new enemy and Hotaru's whereabouts." She paused and directed her gaze at Makoto "I'm afraid I'll have to give you one more responsibility, Makoto."

"You will need the Silent Glaive to bring DiZ's-san friend back, and what I request of you is to keep the Glaive with you and not bringing it back, at least until Hotaru returns." She paused "Make sure to have your communicator with you at all times, and notify us if anything happens."

"But Setsuna… will I be able to use Hotaru's Silent Glaive? Isn't it only Hotaru's responsibility and charge?"

"You won't be able to use its destructive powers, but you will definitely be able to travel around the different worlds with it. Just make sure to keep your heart open to light, so that you don't get lost in the passageways."

"I understand."

"I guess everything is decided then. When will you be leaving DiZ-san?" Was Usagi's soft inquiry.

"I would like to leave today, if it wasn't a problem with Lady Makoto?" The Amazon just nodded her consent "The sooner we leave the quicker we can get Riku back, and from there the plans will be put into action."

Usagi nodded sadly and returned her worried blue orbs to her friend "Then it's time to say goodbye. I hope everything goes on okay and that you return quickly Mako-chan."

The tall girl stood from her chair and returned the warm embrace that was offered to her. He could see the strong friendship that bonded these young women, and that the duty of one was the worry of the others.

"We have to go to my tower Makoto, after all Hotaru's Glaive is being kept there, and I'm sure that DiZ's-san transport is close by in Pluto's ring." He only nodded at her implied question.

The two girls moved away and they said their goodbyes to the Queen, who remained inside the room, watching the movements of her people from the windows.

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It had been a bit though to say goodbye to all of her friends, but she had finally accomplished the impossible. Minako, as always, told her to have her eyes alert for any sexy male sightings while Rey only warned her to not be fooled by strangers and the darkness that could seep into any light.

Ami only asked her to be careful and inform her of any strange phenomenon that she could find in different worlds, if she did turn out to travel into some. Michiru's warning and concern hadn't been much different from Rey's and Ami's, but she could feel and notice a tinge of anxiety on the Silent Siren's side. She was worried about Hotaru.

She hadn't seen Haruka in the palace, so she guessed the wind senshi had returned to her tower, which relieved her somehow. She hadn't been able to confront her strong friend since the Walker of Silence had been taken in her presence. How could she?

Walking in the dark-purplish corridors of Setsuna's tower, she could only imagine the things that would happen from there on. She knew nothing of the man that was walking in front of her accompanied by Setsuna, and she ignored the fact that he knew too much about their enemies and her world. Those were matters that could wait for later contemplation.

Setsuna stopped in a room with a small pool in the centre. She knew this room quite well, since she had met up with the senshi of Time in this place in several occasions. Setsuna was able to maintain an eye on the Gates of Time from this pool, and it often showed events from the future and the past.

It was only a material illusion, since the real River of Time was beyond the Gates. Approaching Setsuna's side, she saw the Silent Glaive rise from the calm waters, it's silvery surface devoid of any drops from its prison. When Setsuna motioned her forwards, she grabbed the tall weapon. It was quite light and her touch wasn't rejected by the owned tool.

"I'll create a dimensional portal only for you to keep the Glaive, but be sure that someone might take it from you, so it will be your responsibility to keep it away from unwanted hands and the Organisation." Setsuna informed.

"I understand Sets, don't worry. I'm sure I'll be able to do a better job than last time." Makoto handed the weapon to her fellow senshi, and she saw it disappear.

"Hotaru wouldn't be happy to know you are having those kinds of thoughts."

She laughed bitterly "Than I guess it's good she isn't here right now, ne?" The older woman only frowned sadly at her "I guess it's time to go. Keep a good eye on things around here, and don't let Haruka do anything stupid. I guess she's more wild than I am at times."

Setsuna chuckled softly and nodded with a small 'Hai'. She gave her a hug, and then turned to DiZ, who had been watching silently. Saying his goodbyes to Setsuna, he told Makoto to follow him.

"Where to now?"

"My gummy ship is outside of the gates of the tower, so we'll get it and fly back to Twilight Town. From there on it's up to you to bring back Riku."

"Okay… wait a second!" She made him stop at the doors "Did you say fly?" She felt her body shake in dread as he nodded. There was no way someone would catch Kino Makoto in a plane "I'm sure there is another way to get back to your world." She stated.

"You could use the Glaive, but that would be complicated and I'm not very fond of the idea to leave my ship behind." He replied calmly, resuming his walk towards the gates.

"But… but…" She could only hear her mind-screaming no at her. Scurrying after him she tried to argue, "Well… then you can go in your ship and I'll use the Glaive."

"Okay then, but that's assuming you know the way." That's what she called stating the obvious "Judging by your face I guess you don't. Why do you insist on not getting on the ship, Lady Makoto?"

"It's just… I kind of… oh well, never mind, it's nothing important anyhow. Not to you, that is." She murmured, "By the way, stop calling me Lady Makoto. Makoto is enough and I don't really want anyone treating me like royalty, so don't mention it to anyone DiZ-san."

"That's fine to me."

When they reached the gates she could only stare at the massive thing that was landed on the ground not so far from the walls. It looked funny, not to talk about the fact that it looked like a child's toy. There was certainly some engineer with a strange sense of fashion, and she could only hope that the thing could really fly.

"Makoto!" Looking back she saw Haruka run in her direction. DiZ excused himself from her side, saying that he would go and get the transport ready.

"Is there any problem Haruka?" The Wind Walker stopped in front of her, shacking her head and recovering her breath.

"I just wanted to say goodbye and…" She directed her gaze onto the ground "and apologise from leaving you alone with Hotaru." Makoto couldn't really say she was expecting that kind of words.

Haruka blamed herself just like she did for the incident, and she was sure the burden was heavier on her fighting partner. Haruka was one of the persons that had Hotaru in her heart since the senshi of Destruction had revealed herself. She felt her eyes soften at the words and the realisation.

"It's okay, Ruka-chan. Don't worry because I promise I'll bring Hotaru back, and you will be the first person to know if I have a clue on her."

"I just don't want you to blame yourself Makoto, because I'm here to share the burden." She smiled "Just leave me some of those guys for a serious kick-assing from the senshi of Uranus."

"I'll remember that. Well, see you soon." Extending her hand, she waited for the other to take it. It was quite a surprise when the taller woman pulled her in by the hand for a soft embrace.

"Just be careful and don't get yourself killed, okay?" She nodded and pulled away.

"It's time to go, DiZ-san is waiting for me." She motioned the space-ship look-alike to which her friend only cocked an eyebrow.

"You flying for real?" She could only nod at Haruka's amused statement "By the way, Setsuna told me to warn you about the fact that that man is still hiding things. She doesn't know what it is, but don't hesitate to contact us if something comes up."

Makoto took the words into account and with a last wave of farewell took of into the ship and into the unknown.

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Hotaru felt her world spin in darkness. What had happened and why did her head hurt like hell? Mentally sighing, she let any kind of though leave her tired mind, after all there was no reason to be stressing over things that couldn't be explained with one's eyes closed.

That was a fact. She knew she was awake, because she could feel her body crying for her to stop her relentless stretch, and her throat releasing soft groans. Not to talk about the fact that she felt someone lean over her, as if checking on a patient that was sick.

She only knew two people who would fuss around her like mothers, and if one of those was taking care of her, that could only mean she was sick or Makoto had completely blasted with her in one of their practices. That idea almost made her chuckle. At least it hadn't been Haruka.

Someone was poking her cheek, and she couldn't stop her hand from shooing the offender away whomever he or she was, though a part of her unconscious could only think of one person, her Haruka-papa. When the person started pocking her more harshly she decided it was time to open her eyes and give him/her a piece of her mind.

Well, at least one of her assumptions was correct, since a pair of emerald green eyes were staring down at her, and that could only mean that the person that was taking care of her wasn't Michiru but her other caring friend.

"Mako-chan...?" She couldn't help whisper the name, since her dry throat didn't allow her to do better. Was it her imagination or had Makoto painted her hair? And why did her face seem male?

"Wow, wow... Hang on, my name isn't Mako. It's Axel, you know..." Her offender moved away, and she could now remember what had happened, for there was only one place where she had seen that coat.

Someone had attacked Crystal Tokyo, and she could remember Makoto being about to receive the final blow, just for her to raise the Glaive and rise a Silent Wall to protect her friend. That thought made Hotaru seat abruptly. Of course, how could she forget, someone had knocked her out.

Turning her weary eyes to her captor, she saw him wave his hands in the air, murmuring something about chicks confusing his name. He had the same emerald eyes has Makoto, so that could explain her misunderstanding. He also had red hair, which made her remember Rey's flame.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" She snapped her gaze back onto his and saw him wave his hands in a dramatic wave "Do you have a name?" He inquired.

"What is it to you? Why should I give you my name?" She asked rather challenging.

"Look Princess, if you don't want to cooperate, that's up to you, but don't go on complaining if people start calling you anything but your name." He stated rather lazily, moving towards a wall and leaning on it.

"Where am I?"

"In the Organisation's headquarters." Yeah, right. Did he perhaps think that she understood whatever he was on about? She stared blankly at him making him sigh and wave a hand in the air "We, as in Organisation XIII, invaded your world to bring you here."

"Why would you do that?"

"That will be explained to you in the future."

"Fine then." She let the silence hang, to have a better look at the room where she was. The bed sheets were white and comfy, as was the bed itself and looking around she needed no confirmation to state the obvious, this place was painfully white. Even the little table in one of the corners and the two chairs that completed it where white.

Moving her feet to the side and onto the floor, she noticed it had a crystalline shine and texture to it. It could easily make her remember the Palace back home. Her captor was still observing her from the wall and she saw a big grey door by his side, probably the entrance and of course, her only way of escape.

"Just to inform you, it's best if you forget any idea of running away. Not only are you in another world, it would be impossible for you to survive alone outside this castle."

She stared in surprise at him. It seemed he had probably noticed her attentive gaze was more than just simple curiosity. Looking at his relaxed pose and bored gaze made her blood boil, and she didn't even try to hide the glares that were being thrown at him.

Simply dismissing her glares with a gruff laugh he pushed himself from the wall and walked towards her "Get used to it Princess, because around here there isn't much you can do to fight or escape." He stated, poising his hands on his hips and slightly bending forward.

Hotaru stood on her two feet and started poking a finger into his chest "I'm not a weakling, and just because you guys knocked me out doesn't mean you can defeat me, in fact, if I remember right, someone hit me on the back of the head." She swelled with pride when he backed away with a surprised expression "And my name is Hotaru, not Princess."

Now that would have been something Haruka would have praised her for, Makoto would have probably done the same thing. He stood on his full height again, crossing his arms under his chest and smiling smugly at her.

"I told you not to complain about whatever others called you when it was your choice to not give your name in the first place." He turned around when a black portal appeared, and she saw one of the white suited creatures approach them. He took something from the wobbly figure's hands and dismissed him, their visitor disappearing through the same black mass from where it had come.

"My boss will be here in five minutes, so take that time to change into these clothes." He handed her a pair of black trousers, a dark-purple tank top with silver butterflies decorating one of the edges and a pair of sneakers. She cocked an eyebrow at him. Was her enemy into fashion?

"What? If you don't want to wear it, be my guest and remain in that sleeping gown of yours." Now that he had stated that, she couldn't help her gaze from travelling towards her ruined violet nightgown. That made her remember Makoto again.

"What happened to my friend and the citadel?"

"As far as I know Saix didn't kill your friend, though I'm not sure if she'll live that long. The creep has is attention on her strength." Pausing slightly he looked at the door "As for your citadel... well, it's now swarmed with Heartless and Nobodies, so it should be a matter of time until it is destroyed. Now go change yourself."

She could only feel her numb mind direct her towards a smaller door and into a clean bathroom. Crystal Tokyo was in danger, Makoto was probably injured and she knew nothing about the others, and here she was, a prisoner to some weird Organisation.

Taking her time to strip her pyjamas, she dressed in her new attire and soaked her face in the cold water of the bathroom sink. There was no way she would be able to summon her Silent Glaive without her Henshin pen, but that didn't mean she couldn't use her powers. Maybe she should just seat patiently and observe her enemy, to learn his abilities and his intentions.

Now that sounded almost like something Ami would come up with, and it would probably be one of the advices the Artic Wisdom would give her, emergency or not. Walking out of the room she spotted the green-eyed young man seated on one of the chairs at the table.

Hotaru propped herself on the opposite chair and prepared herself for some serious questioning. He was sure to give her some answers as to where she was "Ax..." What was his name again? She bit her lip trying to figure it out. Would he be mad if she got it wrong? It was something like Ax... Axem...

"The name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorised?" She could just stare blankly at him, while he pointed towards his head with a finger "I'm sure it's not that hard, come on Princess, make an effort."

She was about to retort to his little nickname when the door opened and a man with long hair entered. She was sure that Minako would have been squealing by now, maybe even Makoto would be, because she could swear all the men in this place were Bishounen. Well, at least the two men that were now in the room.

Axel raised himself from the chair and looked at the newcomer, one of his red eyebrows lifting in question "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk with the prisoner."

"But where is..."

"Your presence was requested Axel, don't make him wait."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going now, no need to go wacko on me." He turned to her "See you later Princess." And he disappeared through the door, leaving her new visitor examining her with a calculative gaze. She just remained sitting and watching him as well.

"We have to talk, Walker of Silence." He approached the table and sat down in front of her, his blue hair fluttering slightly from his movements "Let us make a start..." She just knew that this would be a rather long stay, and she just hoped that the others would be able to fend themselves well.

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Saving a human from being completely drained by a youma was no big deal to the senshi of Thunder, but no one had mentioned anything about saving someone from darkness. Well, not until DiZ asked for their help.

Makoto had had many dreams where she walked around in dark realms, but they were nothing but dreams. It was all eerily black, suffocating even, but there was nothing worse than one's being craving for light only to be engulfed by an eternal darkness. Lucky that she was used to complicated situations.

DiZ had taken them to an old mansion in a beautiful town, and it amazed her to find such good technology in the lower levels of the enormous building. From there she was able to open a rift into the dark corridors, although she had to contact Setsuna first to ask her how to summon the Silent Glaive back onto her hands.

It ended up being that she only had to think of the weapon and it would materialise onto her hands. Then she had to learn how to open up a passageway, which wasn't very complicated either, seeing has she only had to think about wanting to create a rift between worlds and her destination.

The worst aspect about her mission was not knowing the whereabouts of DiZ's companion Riku. He could be anywhere in these dark corridors, and she really hated encountering Heartless when she thought she had finally met up with him. The Amazon had tried creating some light with her powers to have a better knowledge of her surroundings, though she had to stop using them when swarms of Heartless decided to assault her.

So here she was, having a nice quiet stroll amidst the eternal dark that so many souls feared and despised. DiZ had given her a coat from the Organisation, just in case she had an encounter with one of them, and she had to admit it looked quite good on her. It helped hide her identity and her green robes.

She still had her normal attire on underneath, which consisted of her loose pants and her long upper robe that was closed down to the hem of her pants and open the rest of the way. She hadn't had the time to change it in Crystal Tokyo nor at Twilight Town, for the most important now was to find Riku.

For hours she walked around, at least that was what it seemed to her, and she wouldn't give up now. Not even if it seemed someone was following her. She could feel it plainly and clearly thanks to her senshi senses, and it didn't seem like her stalker was one of the random Heartless walking about. Whoever was following her could breathe and had a light step.

When she noticed there was no other choice but to confront her enemy, she stopped and waited. A bad move, since her enemy knew she had felt him and he had stopped as well. There was nothing else for Makoto to do but wait.

It didn't take long for her opponent to make himself known. She felt something wiz from behind, and when she looked she saw someone spin gracefully in the air, dark sword mixing with the darkness around both attacker and defender. She had but some seconds to summon the Glaive and parry the offending weapon, her figure being pulled down by the force of the attack.

Pulling some of her strength and directing it towards her legs, she pushed her enemy, sending him flying some meters away. He was wearing a long black coat like her own, and that could only mean that he was someone from the Organisation. His stance was rather new and weird to her, and she could see some flaws on his defence.

Setsuna hadn't told her to not use the Glaive as a weapon, and the type it was kind of came in handy, since her pole arm mastery was the best in Crystal Tokyo. There would be no problem of parrying his bat wing-like sword. DiZ had explained to her that the members of Organisation XIII were given their positions depending on their level of strength.

She could only wonder on his number, for there was no time to ask when he shot in her direction, blade pointed in an upwards slash. She had been in enough battles with Haruka to know that the best action would be to make his sword spin and direct it towards one of the sides, and that was what she did.

Dodging his sword to the side with the staff, she spun her body around to his back and crouched to sweep his legs with the Glaive, which made him jump in the air and attack her from his upside down position. Were these guys for real?

Raising the Glaive in time, she conformed herself with the fact that his strength sent her sliding on the dark mass of their small combat space. Maybe she should just follow DiZ's advice and turn her back on the enemy; they were better skilled than her, at least this one was.

He raised a hand in the air and shot her a ball of black and purplish energy that sent her tumbling back, the Silent Glaive disappearing from her hands. It was probably better for her to un-summon it than for the enemy to have it in case she fell unconscious.

When she saw him prepare to attack again, Makoto made sure to let the electricity flow in her body as it made her faster. Getting close to him wasn't hard, but dodging all of his attacks sure was a problem, but she was glad to find that he had no martial fighting ability.

Evading and spinning on each other, blunt side of the blade connecting with fists and kicks, they went on for quite a while, until the tip of his blade was dangerously close to her slender neck, the hood of her coat lowered to her back and exposing her identity.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, her palm only inches from his chest and his sword leaving a crimson mark on her creamy skin, until he decided to break the silence that hung over the place.

"Who are you? If I'm not mistaken, there is no one with the same fighting abilities you have in the Organisation."

"Really? Then I guess that means I'm kind of special right?" What was it with him? If he was from the Organisation, than he should be completely aware that she didn't belong to the same side as him.

"A woman..." He seemed surprised, and she could only wander if he hadn't noticed that already, since her hood had fallen.

"Yeah, and so what?" His words made her angry somehow, because she knew she wasn't that tomboyish "Could you please stop pocking that thing?" That said, she let a Sparkling Wide Pressure bounce of her hand and repel them to different sides.

"You're not from Organisation XIII." He stated matter of factly, standing on his full height with a relaxed posture.

"Really? And you only realised that now?" She watched his sword disappear "Wasn't it obvious to you when you decided to start attacking me? I'm sure you already knew I wasn't part of your special group."

He only shook his hooded head "I'm not part of Organisation XIII. What are you doing in the dark passageways?"

"Why should I tell you that? What does a person do in this place?" She drawled.

He only grunted at her response and pulled his hood down, and she couldn't help the blush that covered her cheeks, both from embarrassment and, she had to admit, his handsome features. His black blindfold explained why he hadn't noticed her gender.

His flowing shoulder length white bangs gave him a mysterious air and his thin lips were upturned in a tiny smirk. She was cursing DiZ; eternally cursing him for not warning her that Riku was wearing an Organisation's coat. She mentally groaned when it downed on her, that she should have recognised his sword.

_"He is about your age and taller than you. He has shoulder length hair and his sword isn't anything like what you've seen before. It's has dark has night and the blade is shaped in the form of a bat's wing."_ Those had been DiZ's words.

Taking some cautious steps towards him, she couldn't help but wonder why he had his eyes covered "Are you Riku?"

"What if I am?" Much to her satisfaction he didn't move away when she walked closer.

"DiZ-san asked for the help of my Queen to find you and bring you back."

"I can't return yet, since I'm not finished searching for what I came to find." He paused, turning slightly to the side "Why would a ruler of a world supply an outsider with help?"

"Because the Organisation decided it was time to mess around with our world and take someone important away."

"I guess they like doing that a lot." He snorted "Who are you then?"

Coming closer she regarded him coolly "I'm Makoto, a guardian of my world and my Queen." He turned abruptly towards her, and she could only assume it was in surprise.

"Makoto..." He seemed to be testing her name on his tongue.

"Yeah, that's it. Do you know me or something? Because by your face it sure seems you do."

"No, it just feels familiar. Tell DiZ, I'll be coming back soon." He turned around and she could swear she heard him murmur something about getting stronger.

"Wait, DiZ said there wasn't a lot of time left, and the fact that they now have my friend has only made matters worse."

"There's nothing I can do in this condition, I still haven't found a way to control the darkness in my heart, and I still don't have the strength to protect my friends." He started walking away and she reached for his wide and long sleeve.

"It's hard for a heart to accept darkness when it's bearer only wants to use his strength for the light." She paused "DiZ told me you were possessed by the Heartless of one of your enemies a year or so ago."

"You don't know anything about what happened on that occasion, and neither do you know how hard it is to give into something that wants to take control of your actions."

"You're right, I'll never know what it's like to have my heart being swallowed by darkness, but I sure know how it's like to fail protecting someone." Turning him around, she reached for the knot of the blindfold "Power can only be attained when you accept it and respect it."

He stopped her hands from reaching their destination and directed his face towards her "Can you respect something that almost destroyed your friends?"

Her mind couldn't come up with an answer for that, but she just needed some time to answer that question, and if she asked for time, she was sure he would give it to her. Bringing her hands back down, she saw him remove his gloved ones from hers "You don't want to crave and see the light that shines trough. Is that why you use a blindfold?"

"It has helped me, and I'm sure it will still help me in the near future." He turned around "Let's get back to Twilight Town, I have a few things to settle with Roxas."

Makoto just stared in surprise at the young fighter "You aren't going to continue searching? Didn't you just say..."

Turning around he just smiled slightly at her "I already have an answer." He let the statement hang in the air, while she scurried of towards him and the black rift he had opened.

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"DiZ said that once we have Roxas, it won't take that long for Sora to wake up again." The petite blond girl stated "It's been a year since I've started chaining his memories all back together..."

Makoto's emerald orbs observed the movements of her new companion. Namine was one of the persons that made part of DiZ's plan, and she couldn't help to notice the guilty tone on the girl's voice when she had mentioned the occurrences that had led the Keyblade Master to fall into a deep slumber.

True, she had been manipulating him, but she probably didn't know the consequences of her actions at the time, when the orders had been given. Namine was a Nobody and she was finding it difficult to believe that Nobodies were devoid of any kind of emotion.

"Everything will end out going just fine, Namine-san, Riku was the one to state that soon enough Sora would be back to his old self." Yeah, Riku had said that just before leaving a few hours ago to go and bring this Roxas that they were always talking about.

She had been left in the mansion with the excuse that the Organisation could be looking for her to get the Silent Glaive. She damned DiZ for telling Riku all of her story as soon as both of them had arrived and the young warrior decided to go after is objectives.

At least he had respected her wish and hadn't mentioned anything about her being a Princess to both Riku and Namine, which she deeply appreciated, it was annoying enough having so many people treating her in a different way just because of who she was.

She had left the computer room as soon as the white haired mystery disappeared through a portal, directing herself to the first floor room where the silent girl spent her time drawing. The room had its white walls covered in different drawings, and even the long crystalline table had a few sketches scattered about.

Sora's memories, Namine had said. Lost forgotten and regained pieces that completed a heart. She could feel her mind wandering towards all of what these new strangers in her life had to endure, while her gaze settled itself on the iron gates of the mansion's entrance. Namine's room was a contrast to all of the different divisions in this old place.

"Everyone connected with or that had bonds with Sora ended up forgetting much of him, though since I've started chaining them together, Riku has been remembering things." Namine informed.

She shifted her gaze from the window and onto the blond "It must be hard forgetting someone you had a strong connection with..." She resumed her delicate examination of the gardens "Maybe that's why Riku is so hard on himself and what happened..."

"Did he tell you what happened a year ago?" Namine asked softly.

"No, and even tough DiZ told me some of the occurrences I'm sure he didn't tell me everything." She smiled into the window "Maybe I'll get to know someday."

"Maybe you will, and then maybe you will tell us who you really are and your story."

She turned in surprise at the girl "Namine..."

The girl only smiled and turned to the door "Looks like Riku is back, and it seems he hasn't returned alone."

"I'll be right back." Makoto walked towards the door and left the girl to her silent duty. She was curious to know whom this Roxas person was, and what was his real connection to all of this. Crossing the upper part of the foyer, she entered the other door that was on the same floor.

DiZ had told her that Roxas was a Nobody and that he belonged to the Organisation. She was just curious to know if Sora's Nobody was in some way like him, even though she had never met the boy, the descriptions given to her would help, and of course she could still compare him to Namine's drawings.

When she reached the computer room where DiZ spent most of his time, she saw Riku dumping an unconscious body under a device that was similar to the teleport they had in all the towers in Crystal Tokyo. Both him and DiZ turned to her and she was able to have a glimpse of blond hair and a black long coat.

"What are you guys going to do to him?" Her protective side couldn't help from worrying for the young man that was completely defenceless. She saw DiZ sit on the chair in front of all the complicated equipment, while Riku settled with conditioning the boy under the device.

"There's no need to worry with his well being, Makoto. He is noting more than just a Nobody after all." DiZ commented. She took some angry steps towards the body lying on the ground.

"It's still hard for me to accept that Nobodies can't feel anything, and the way you talk... it almost seems to me that you hate them." She turned her stormy eyes to Riku "What are you going to do with him?"

"We need him because he holds half of Sora's power in him." He stated, and she stared in confusion at him. That had not been Riku's voice. Even if she had only known him for about a day, she was sure that that had not been his voice. She was about to question her doubts, when Roxas disappeared.

"Where did Roxas go? What did you do?" She questioned the older man that was tipping at the computer.

"We already explained it to you Makoto, how many more times will it need to be explained? The time will come for Roxas to give back what is rightfully Sora's." The older man replied.

"I don't know, but how about telling me how you plan on bringing Sora back by making Roxas disappear?" She stated angrily, pounding her fist on one of the panels that occupied the wall beside the main computer.

Makoto had to confess she didn't know why she had become so angry. This meant that she would be a step closer to finding Hotaru, didn't it? And Roxas was part of the group of people who had taken her friend, so the matter shouldn't be making her fight for him. Maybe it had been the fact that Namine had told her Roxas had betrayed the Organisation.

She was a bit startled when someone pulled her wrist and started yanking her towards a door through which she hadn't wandered yet. Looking up, she saw Riku's hooded figure pulling her trough several rooms and corridors. She had time to notice some pods in one of the corridors and she was sure she had seen two pods with someone in them.

She was forced to focus her eyes when a bright white flash made her stumble against the back of her leader. Stepping back and looking around, she had to make sure that the place where Riku had brought her wasn't an endless white abyss. She couldn't for the life of her, distinguish walls from floor and ceiling, she wasn't even sure if there were walls.

He eyes settled in a cocoon look-alike that was in the middle of the room, at least she assumed it was the middle. It was a pod like the ones that were in the corridor just behind the door, although this one was bigger and looked like a flower in blossom. Her legs carried her in a trance like motion towards the alien object and her hand set itself against the cool glass surface.

Her mind could only give one name to the person that was sleeping serenely inside it, and she was sure it had to be him, for his features were almost identical to Roxas's. She felt Riku approach ever so carefully and settle himself by her right side.

"Is this Sora?"

"Yeah, it's him. He's been sleeping in here for quite a while, ever since his memories were scattered by Namine's power."

"That's why she dedicates so much of her time chaining his memories together..." She whispered.

"Roxas is part of Sora." He continued "He is different from other Nobodies, in which his former self continued on living after giving his heart to darkness. Sora became a Heartless when he released Kairi's heart from his with the dark Keyblade, and he should have remained like that for the rest of eternity, but Kairi's light brought him back."

"It's because Sora continued on existing that Roxas has no memories of being Sora. He is an exception and unique I believe." He finished.

Turning to him she still questioned herself as to why he was still using his hood "What will happen to him when he remembers who he was?"

"DiZ created a digital Twilight Town to make sure that he is kept safe from his pursuers and to buy us some time for Namine to finish chaining Sora's memories." She could almost hear his small smile "He won't have the same destiny as other Nobodies, since he will not fade back into darkness."

"I see. I guess that makes me a little more relaxed, but even so, how hard can it be knowing that you are just an empty shell of someone?"

"Those are matters to complicated to think about." He started walking out of the room, the pod closing up like a retracting flower "Let's get back to DiZ and see how things are going."

"Riku wait! Why does your voice sound different?" She ran up to him, and stared directly into the hollow part of his hood.

"That's something that only concerns me. Who knows? Maybe I'll tell you on another time." He continued walking into the hallway "By the way, thanks for helping me find my way back Makoto."

She smiled sadly "I just hope my help hasn't drowned you in darkness Riku... I just hope DiZ isn't right when he mentioned some of your possible decisions." She murmured to the air and followed after him silently, passing the pods that contained a tall dog creature and a white-feathered duck creature. Donald and Goofy, she mused, Sora's companions and late friends.

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**Well, what do you think? Was it good, was it bad, was it stupid? Oh well, just say what you guys tought about this chapter. Some feedback would be apreciated. Oh and by the way, I'll be updating Heart of Thunder, in a week from now, I'll have to make longer chapters for that story as well, lol. See you guys soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning: This story might contain spoilers for the Kingdom Hearts series, so don't read if you don't want a great game spoiled for you.**

Mh... what can I say? Am I even entitled to an apology, or will it not be accepted? Anyways, college is harder this year than I expected it to be, I've had lots of essays to get out of the way, some more to do, and exams in January. Yeah, it sucks big time, but anyhow, I'm trying to manage the time as best as I can, so as to write a couple of pages each day for the stories I've got up and some future projects. You won't believe for how long I've been trying to finish this chapter T.T It got to the point where I had to write a couple of sentences some days. Oh well, enjoy and feel free to review... There might be some bad language, but I'm sure you can handle it xD

**_Story dedicated to Sailor Taurus Angel..._**

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Chapter 3

"Damn that guy for taking of like that." He hissed, slamming the tall white door behind him "I warned him, and what does he do? He runs of like a little lost puppy."

Axel couldn't help walking from one side of the room to the other of the massive white bedroom. He failed to notice however, the silent pair of violet eyes that were watching his every move and action. Growling in annoyance and frustration, he sat himself on one of the chairs of the small table, drowning his fleeting ideas and peculiar worries.

"I thought you'd never stop. Watching you walk around like a madman is capable of making others go crazy." His fleeting eyes turned to observant and annoyed violet pools. Why had he ended up in this room?

Hotaru was sitting there on the bed, her legs intertwined and a forgotten book resting on her lap. He smirked slightly, problems moving aside in his mind "It's my job to drive you crazy and insane, little Princess."

He watched her annoyed façade drop to be replaced by a scowl, soft lips parting to release a sarcastic laugh "Very funny Axel. I wouldn't have known you belonged to the circus if it wasn't for that Clown look you support."

He let a dark scowl merry his features this time, just as the teen quirked her lips in an amused smirk, eyes shinning in mirth. It riffled his feathers a little bit somehow, that the girl in front of him could keep up with his volatile persona, even if only three days had passed.

"Now, what were you muttering about?" She asked.

"Nothing that concerns you and that little head of yours, Princess."

He could swear that he saw her hand twitch, and the certainty dawned on him that if she didn't need that book to pass her time, his face would have since long adorned a flattened nose. That thought made him wonder why hadn't she tried to use her powers yet. Xemnas had said something about her being able to open portals to the pathways between worlds.

Why hadn't she yet tried to escape from their base? Where was that magnificent weapon of darkness Xemnas had proclaimed this girl could wield? Shaking his mind from thoughts that didn't seem his own, he tried focusing his gaze back onto the short adolescent that was now standing angrily in front of him.

He had yet to find what had set his mind on such confusing matters. Was it the fact that Roxas had fallen on enemy hands, or was it the strange reactions that this mysterious girl brought from within him? Axel could only scoff at his own irony, for what he called reactions he wished to call emotions, but Nobodies had none of the sort.

"I'm getting tired of this!" Hotaru shouted in his face "First I'm taken away from my home by some strangers who affirm vehemently they have no hearts or feelings of the sort. Then I'm kindly _'asked'_ to perform my duties as a wielder of darkness to open the door I supposedly can open better than no one." She paused, breathing in and clenching her fists "And then I have to put up with you barging in at all the time talking about some random business I have no concern of whatsoever."

Narrowing his eyes dangerously, he felt his body getting up from the chair hastily, something akin to rage roaming his mind "What business is it of yours you ask?" He grabbed her harm and pulled her up close, glaring into challenging violet pools "Well let me share that tiny bit of information. Word has reached our ears that it was one of your friends who helped kidnap Roxas."

Pulling her closer, Axel could not help but let go of his uncaring and lazy appearance "That girl that was there by your side on that night, she was the one." Her eyes widened in surprise and a silent name escaped her lips "Yes, that's the name of the culprit for Roxas's captivity and forgetfulness. Makoto."

Hotaru tried pulling her arm away from his tight grip "Makoto would never do something of the sort, and Usagi wouldn't allow that. It isn't the way the scouts work, and even if they are overprotective, vengeance would never take the better part of their heart. Why would they need one of your members?"

"They would do it if it meant having a chance of saving you, and anyway, it wasn't really her idea nor your Queen's, but it doesn't change the fact that she is still helping Riku and that old geezer. Have you not heard what Saix said, of what we are and our cause? Roxas was a special case among all of the Nobodies, in which his real identity carried on living. The catch lies on the fact that to have the Keyblade's Chosen one in full form, they'll need the half power Roxas bears within him."

"The power that always belonged to Sora, but won a new master. Because of your friend, Roxas forgot about us, he forgot about the Organisation, of who he is," He released a half heartedly laugh, shaking her slightly "and above all he doesn't remember me. I wish now, that Saix had indeed killed your friend, and that the Heartless had succeeded in destroying your world."

He couldn't affirm that the words that were escaping his mouth had been well thought about, and he knew deep down, even if his mind wasn't letting him see it, that she had had every reason to raise her hand towards him. Head turned sideways, his emerald eyes glared at the white tilled floor while his mind wandered far away. What was this? What was this thing... this feeling that was assaulting him?

"You don't have the right to say those things to me, and you definitely don't have the right to blame others for situations that are consequences from your decisions." Hotaru snarled, pulling her arm away as much as she could. There it was again, something constantly nagging at his chest and he couldn't help pulling her closer, hand securely attached to her upper harm "Let me go!"

"Maybe I should make your friend feel what I'm feeling right now! What do you think about that? Turn you into a Heartless and make you forget everything about your past and who you are, and then I would finish what Saix didn't, I would kill her." He snarled. He didn't know what happened next, but from his fallen position against the wall the girl in front of him was glowing dangerously.

"Don't you dare do anything against my friends, or I swear you will have to deal with me." She seethed. Axel could see, from his hazy anger, that the normally calm youth was fighting down a long range of emotions "Feeling? Make Makoto feel what you are feeling? I thought Nobodies couldn't feel anything?!" Hotaru was breathing deeply, fighting down her own anger and lack of control, and that he could see from the aura that was starting to reseed from around her.

He tried to fight his own rage, but the mere thought that this girl had simply flung him to the side with a simple flick of energy made his blood boil. She had been close to defeating him in her own world, and he still held that knowledge in his conscience, and that made him realise that the task of bringing Roxa's back could be more difficult than it already was. What did these warriors hide within them?

Raising to his feet, fiery chakram ready in his normal fighting stance, he couldn't help but glare at the girl "Just because we don't feel, don't assume that we don't have the knowledge of what it feels like! You have no idea of how it is like to be empty but have that constant nagging in the back of your mind as if you were living your life in a cube shelled from the outside world."

To his surprise Hotaru released a weak laugh, and he concentrated his rage hazed mind onto her lithe body. Her shoulders were shaking slightly due to her laughing fit and her eyes were covered by her bangs. He could feel the flicking flames caress his arms beneath the cloak, but they did nothing to distract his flabbergasted gaze from the girl.

"There are many things I don't know, on that you are quite right, but like I said before, don't go on assuming things like that. You know nothing about me," she raised her head and looked at him weakly "and even less about my past or who I am. Sure enough, you know I'm a princess and that I'm a worrier, but what else besides that? That's knowledge that dates from a millennium ago, and so far I've lived a new life, a life you have no information about."

What was she talking about? His eyes scanned hers, and he was surprised to see remembrance and pain in those depths. His words seemed to have brought memories that she far wished to have forgotten, pity that things didn't work that way. Bit by bit he could feel himself cool down, and gripping his weapons tightly, he let them disappear in a burst of flames.

He stood there glaring at the floor, his head turned sideways in an attempt to not make eye contact with the mysterious girl. He was somewhat glad when the door was opened and Demyx peeked in.

"Haven't you been tought how to knock?" He asked dully. Demyx only gave a wary smile, perhaps bearing the knowledge that there was a tense atmosphere around the room.

"Don't you have a task to attend to, oh feary one?" Demyx stepped into the room, and Axel could feel some of his previous anger come to the surface. Did this guy perhaps have a death wish? Demyx gestured with his hand in a shooing sort of way before continuing "Anyways, the Leader wants to see our little guest and I'm supposed to take her there."

He didn't say anything, simply because Demyx was giving him an easy way out from the things that had transpired. He could have killed the girl that his Lider so much needed to achieve their goal. Perhaps he should go away and calm down a bit, before confronting something that would put him in conflict again. Giving one last glance at Hotaru, he saw her looking sadly at the floor.

Turning his back to both the occupants of the room and heading for the door, Demyx's voice spoke again, in what he could have called a sad voice "Speak with Saix first, I think the plans have changed concerning Roxas's situation and fate." The words, albeit not carrying any meaning at the moment, made something inside him freeze, but he didn't reply, simply exiting the room and walking to his destination.

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According to what DiZ had been saying, things had been going rather smoothly, even tough the virtual Twillight Town had been receiving uninvited guests. Few days had gone by since they had been able to catch Sora's Nobody, and it seemed it hadn't taken long for the Organisation to catch up to them and find out about their plan. He was glad however that they hadn't yet come after Makoto, nor the weapon that she was carrying.

The brunette was strong, but Organisation XIII had a different type of strength that seemed to be unexistent in her world. He didn't doubt DiZ's words about her being an heroine where she came from, but he had fought with her and even if he was impressed with her abilities she had seemed somehow out of shape.

Closing the door that led into the secret laboratory, Riku decided to go join Makoto and Namine in the bright white room were the blond girl was always drawing, they were most probably there. Continuing with his toughts, he remembered that Makoto had somehow confessed she felt out of shape, a thing she had feared for a long time since her world had been aproaching the time she had called the New Millenium, the time of eternal peace.

He felt curious. That type of curiosity that made him abandon his own island, that kind of feeling that made him become confused with his own feelings. That dreaded curiosity that turned him weak and vulneradle at the gripping claws of the deepest darkness there could ever be. However, he didn't fear that feeling this time, because there was simply nothing to fear. Darkness was one with him and he was one with darkness.

Knocking lightly on the door he waited for an aproval to open it, which didn't take long to be spoken by Namine's soft voice. Peeking inside, with his hood covering his face, he took notice of two things. The first being that Namine was indeed imersed in her task of chaining Sora's memories through her drawings, and the second being the unmisable lack of Makoto's presence. The beautifull youth was normally around Namine when the sun was starting to set, but there was no trace of her, only a lingering scent that cought his nose.

When his changed eyes finished scanning the room, they landed on a curious Namine that was watching him in expectation and an all knowing smile. He made the question that he figured she was expecting "Where is Makoto?"

"She went to train alone, to see if she could clear her mind enough, so that her toughts can flow more freely." Namine smiled slightly, deep in tought "She has been looking rather distressed lately."

Stepping into the room but maintaining himself close to the door, he pondered on the subject. She had seemed distant to him in the last days, and that he could affirm by the lack of presence he felt from her even when she was nearby, as if she was there and yet at the same time wasn't.

It didn't help that he had been avoiding her when they weren't training, something he had been doing with her since she had asked him to prepare her for the time that would come and they would have to defeat the Organisation. The simple reason as to why he was avoiding her, had to do with the fact that he didn't want her to see what he had become "Do you know where she is?"

"Try looking for her at the Hilltop Station. I think that's the place where she goes to train alone." The girl paused "What do you need from her?"

"I want to make sure that she keeps out of trouble now that the Organisation is onto Roxas." Creating a dark portal, he waited to see what else she wanted to say, because he could see in her the heitation to profess whatever it was.

"When are you going to show her that your appearance was changed by darkness?"

His toughts lingered on an answer "There isn't much to show, so why bother with stupid things. I'll see you later." And he didn't wait for a reply, simply trespassing the portal onto the other side.

When his feet landed on green grass, orangey colors played with his visage and the change in contrast made him relax somewhat. Namine's room was to bright for his own liking, but it rather suited the girl, for even if she was a Nobody, she seemed to lack that excessive darkness that the other Nobodies had.

Breathing in the normal scent of dusk, his nose picked onto a smell he had gotten used to. It was that distinctive smell that always acompanied Makoto a smell that made him remember sweet blossoms after a rainy day. He took notice of her position on the Hilltop. She was sitting by the edge, where the view allowed her to see the distant setting sun and the railways down bellow, deep in thought with her legs crossed and the Organisation cloack abandoned by her side.

It seemed that she hadn't taken knowledge of his presence yet, so taking cautious steps he approached her and sat silently on her right. Her eyes made calm contact with his hooded face and he saw that her serene smile seemed troubled.

"I'm sorry I couldn't train with you today." He started.

"Don't worry too much about it, I'm sure you had a lot to do. With the Organisation getting close to Roxas and all that, you and DiZ seem to have a lot in your hands at this point." Makoto made a light pause, her left hand stretching out in front of her to play with the grass blades there "Namine is also working hard in finishing her task, and the only one who seems to have nothing to do or help with is me."

Slightly taken back by her comment, Riku didn't know what to say. There wasn't much she could do at the moment so it would be reasonable that she'd be having these kinds of thoughts, especially if there wasn't anyone who could spend some time with her.

"I think that sometimes it's inevitable the fact that people find themselves at the end of the road without knowing what to do or how to react." Looking at the distance, he let the wind caress his face "I found myself on that end of the road once and I can't say that I liked it, but sometimes there are things that just happen, and when we least expect it, we are an important part of someone's future."

"That's why I don't want you to think that way, because until now the task that needed to be done could only be so by me, DiZ and Namine." He could feel her eyes on him, observing and maybe even wandering.

"I guess then, that sometime in the future I'll have a way of helping everyone." She smiled more sincerely at him "Just like you are now. I'll have an important role, and I'll be important to my friends more than ever, just as you are being to Sora."

"I don't think that's the best way to put it…"

"Anyways," she interrupted him "Do you need something?" Loosing track of his thoughts for a moment, he then remembered the real reason that had brought him here.

"Just came to see if everything was okay, but it seems that there wasn't reason to worry. I was also wandering what had gotten you to be so distant all these days, but it seems I've figured that out quite quickly."

There was a moment of silence, and he took the time to notice that she had gotten more serious and distant again, and he was about to question further when she murmured five simple and intriguing words "I'm not quite sure…"

He wanted to know what she was talking about, but there was something that stopped him from letting his curiosity be known, something inside him that wanted to allow some distance for something that could change everything that was certain. Turning away from her, he decided to keep silent, limiting himself to only hear the soft roar of the wind.

"Why couldn't DiZ create a beach on the virtual Twilight?" Makoto started, her voice full of sadness and anger "It wouldn't be harmful if he let Roxas have some fun before he vanishes."

"You have to understand that creating a beach would leave Roxas open for further advances from the Organisation." He avoided looking at those searching eyes "It was necessary of me to take the pouch from him. You saw what happened, there were Nobodies around, and they were already causing havoc."

"I know, but they were just that, they were only Dusk Nobodies, and Roxas was able to take care of them." She paused "I can imagine how frustrating these days will be for him, and imagine how you'd feel if you though your friends were angry with you just for losing something. It's hard on some people if they can't count on their friends, and Roxas will feel that more than anyone now." He could sense she was regretting, regretting the fact that she had ever allowed them to trap Roxas in a digital world.

"The money that was inside that pouch had been money Roxas and his group were trying to get together in order to visit the beach." She averted her gaze towards him "Hard team work was put together in that money, it was rather cruel of you to take it from him, only for his friends to doubt his words."

"I know what you mean…" Riku's voice broke slightly, but he didn't want her to see that when he talked of the past it still hurt him, simply because the subject was sensitive, he had never grasped the reason as to why he had been able to betray his friends "I felt that in my own skin, my own essence… that lack of support from friends and that despair that they didn't want to forgive me."

"Riku…"

"But it's okay, because I know that nor Sora nor Kairi would be able to hold any resentment against me, just because they aren't that kind of person." He turned his head away from her, looking distantly at the disappearing sun "Just because they aren't like me."

A soft undetected hand grasped his chin, and he felt his head be turned to hers, her curious and intensive gaze binding him there. She wanted to know, that he was certain, what had happened to him, why was his voice different, and she had made that doubt known in many occasions. However, he couldn't allow himself to let her see what he had become, or who, even if she didn't know that face or the deeds that had been put behind it.

Nimble fingers slid along his jaw, underneath the darkness, and her hand came to rest on one side of the hood, her other hand coming to the opposite side. He felt his gloved hands, instinctively grasp her left wrist, but he didn't pull it away. Why he didn't do it, was beyond him, but maybe it was that part of him that wanted to be accepted by someone, to be accepted by her.

Slowly his hand left her wrist, and just as slowly her hands pulled the hood down, exposing dark skin and foreign amber eyes. Her eyes adorned the expression he had been expecting, and yet he felt himself become as surprised as her just because that was the only thing he found in her emerald eyes, surprise. A weak sense of sadness overtook him. Of course she wouldn't be afraid; she had never met Ansem, or the entity that had possessed his body more than a year ago.

"What happened?"

Sighing slightly, he spoke in that mature and foreign voice "When I decided to become one with darkness, the best way to support that power would be to become someone who had been able to do it in the past." He paused, trying to turn his head away but unable to do it because of her tight and soft grip on his chin "This face you see was the one that started everything, that corrupted what was meant to be lost. I'm Ansem now."

"Just because you look like him doesn't mean you are him." Her eyes were shifting, searching "Don't let it get to you, a face isn't a heart, and a heart doesn't need a face."

Pulling her hand away from him, he turned towards the setting sun and released a bitter laugh "You don't know what you're talking about, and that's simply because you weren't there, you didn't see what Ansem did, what I did. I became Ansem in that time as well, and I don't believe it's just a coincidence that I've become him once again."

The next minutes passed in silence, and he couldn't find himself blaming her for not saying anything, because there just wasn't anything to say. Stars were starting to appear in the sky, unmistakable silver specks shinning without concern, without any fear of the velvet darkness around them. The girl at his side shifted and her voice made itself heard in the comfortable night.

"Somehow I can't imagine those eyes on your real self… but then again I can't be sure, because I never did get to see your eyes. I wander what colour they are…"

"If you want to know, then you just have to ask and I'll tell you." He murmured.

"I believe there isn't reason for that, seeing as I'm sure sooner or later I'm going to see them." She turned to him, a bright and sincere smile shinning upon him, and he felt his will to deny what she had said to completely vanquish. He was never going to turn back to who he really was, she would never see his eyes, and there was nothing he could say that would shatter her certainty.

Rising from the floor he offered her his hand "Let's go back to the mansion." She took his hand, and Riku pulled her up, making her stumble slightly into him, Organisation cloak dangling from her other hand. He saw her cheeks display a tinted shade, and he opened a portal behind him, letting her step in first.

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_A bright light… A purple haired youth hovering in front of a heart shaped moon… A forgotten boy tightening his hand around a blade remarkably similar to a key, head turned downcast and lips thinning in a difficult decision… Shadows black as they should be at the eyes of the world, surrounding and forcing the drawback of warriors._

_Unmistakable flashes, a soft groan and she stretched her hand towards the sky… a long pigtail-haired woman with lavender strands was wavering, holding a silver crystal in her hands, a small young girl with the same hair, but soft blond strands was in front of her, wavering as well. Chestnut strands fell onto her visage, and she felt a presence by her side, a hand reaching for hers…_

"No way to close the gate… is unable to do it on his own..." broken sentences, and she was sure that it wasn't real, shouldn't be… her confused mind screamed at her, just a dream.

_An offer was made, slipping from her own lips… that place shouldn't be destroyed… unbalance through eternity were the words that slipped a guardian's lips… the dark mass was breaching the barrier… not much time. The hand tightened around hers and a strong voice refused her proposition._

_A shove and an apology, a lost promise… turquoise eyes bore into her, pleadingly and pain stricken… something welled up in her and she turned to run away, seeking eyes of a different blue… bearer of light and of the destiny of the worlds… a silent glaive slid downwards, pursuing a new beginning to an end… little time._

_Ocean met forest… silver key closing darkness and releasing hearts… a plead responded with unbelieving eyes, denying the unavoidable. He knew as much as her, much was lost, too much still worth saving… the ocean wept and regret was laid upon it when the key stroke to release the final heart… voices calling into locked darkness…_

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Makoto woke with a start, a cold sweat transpiring through her body. She felt her hands unconsciously seek her face, nimble fingers tangling themselves in her loose hair, one single thought running through her mind. What had that dream been?

She felt her heart constrict, the pain causing her to release a laugh. It surprised her, the fact that pain could make someone laugh instead of crying out, but then again, didn't people sometimes laugh when someone close to them died? The funny thing was, that the only thing that seemed to happen in that remote dream, was her own demise.

Swinging her legs onto the other side of the small bed, she let her beating heart calm down. She had been having that dream for several nights now, and it certainly didn't please her that much, that she was unable to understand it or do anything about it. Maybe she should contact Rei and see what the wise miko had to say about the case.

Then again, she was pretty sure that things weren't easy back in her world; Ami had told her so when she had last contacted her quiet friend. One other thing that didn't help was her getting confused and lost in thoughts because of it, making everyone around her wander and worry about what was going on with her. Riku had been wrong when he thought she was being like this because she was sulking.

Completely different reasons for completely different things; she would never sulk for not being able to help, she would in fact be angry at herself, causing her to be aggressive towards others. However she was glad that her own conscious wasn't letting her do that at the moment. Getting up from the bed and dressing herself with the clothes Namine had helped her choose and buy in the real Twilight Town, she exited her room.

She spotted soft blond strands at the stairs, and getting close she noticed Namine sitting there on the steps, a thoughtful expression on her usually concentrated face. Her sneakers padding softly as she descended, she stopped at the girls side, bending forward ever so slightly as to look her in the face. Blue eyes snapped onto her and she swore Namine had just had a mischievous thought, just because of the twinkle that had shinned there for a moment.

Raising herself in surprise at the sudden movement from the sitting girl, who was now looking hopefully at her, she tried balancing her almost falling body. Sighing in relief when she was able to control herself, Makoto turned her irises onto the petit blond raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Makoto," That came out too gleefully for her own taste "You're up so early! Not even Riku gets up at this time in the morning."

Laughing slightly, she just shrugged her shoulders and continued walking down the stairs, Namine's suddenly infectious cheerfulness making her wary. The girl was up to no good "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to get up early and go for a walk. What are you doing up so early?"

"Well… I was just thinking about some stuff, you know, the kind of stuff we just find ourselves thinking." Namine was following her "And then you came along… and I had been thinking about this little detour…"

"What are you talking about?" She asked suspiciously.

"I was wandering if you want to come with me to watch Roxas's Struggle Battle?" Was the soft inquiry.

"You want to hijack the data once again?" She rose an eyebrow and the girl nodded "You do know that that is going to make DiZ pissed, don't you?" The slightly shorter youth nodded once again, looking at the floor in shame. A maniacal thought came into her mind, and she felt herself chuckle. "Sure enough, if it is to piss that guy off, then let's go. Let me just grab my Organisation cloak."

Namine seemed slightly taken back, but she soon recuperated her posture and smiled, eyes shinning in mirth "Never mind the cloak. Let's just go." The blond Nobody started walking towards the laboratory, and she soon found herself following after. Maybe she could talk a little with Roxas and learn something about him.

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_Freaking stupid crystal towers!_ Was the first thing that came to his mind. How the heck were these people able to live in such places, with such long hallways and inclined stairways? He believed that women liked to preserve their health and all that, but this was ridiculous.

And why the hell had his Lider chosen him to come looking for that thing? He was so much better at gathering money through gambling. Looking around the long corridor that was set in front of his eyes, he couldn't help but groan at is rare unluckiness. It didn't help that the tower was more brilliant than anything in his life, even if it glowed a dark purple.

He had been there when the girl had proven to be without her weapon, the weapon they needed to complete their task. These people, the ones that had the chance to live two lives, had had the chance to change the lock to the realm of darkness. They had yet to find out how they had managed to do it, but there was no doubt in the lider's head, that the girl and her weapon had had something to do with it.

He didn't understand however, was how the door had been able to open the last time; that last year that had passed. Maybe the girl was just an alternative, so that they didn't have to wait for the Keyblade's chosen one to collect hearts. With Roxas out of the scene, and Sora yet to awaken, there was no doubt that the girl was their most possible chance to complete Kingdom Hearts.

Things could have been easy, but no, the girl had to go and leave her weapon in her stupid world, leaving him with the task to find out where it was. He didn't even know where to start looking since he was never in this world before, so he had to go and start with the first tower at the far end. A deserted tower unfortunately, which meant no fun or diversion for him.

Luxord huffed while opening different doors, just to find they were waiting rooms, bedrooms and the such. Useless and bare laden rooms that didn't even pull any sort of interest from him, which was one of the reason as to way he didn't enter. The boss had told him that he would feel something if the weapon was close, since it was in synch with the powers of the girl, and consequently, her powers over darkness, their darkness.

_Trust ancient princesses to live in crystal palaces and towers. _He sneered in distaste. There was no way in hell he would live in such a bright and shinning place, no matter if their Headquarters was as white as white can be. Approaching a large door, different from all the others he had approached, he couldn't help but halt in his movements to open it. Something was pulling him in, and it definitely wasn't the darkness.

Cautiously creaking the pearly white door open, he noticed the different inscriptions around the arch. They had no meaning to him, however he couldn't explain why they seemed to cause some kind of reminiscence. Shaking the thoughts, he stepped into the different atmosphere, and he knew then what had pulled him in. There was the trace of time, the trace of someone who could tamper with time.

His eyes settled upon a well, border graciously intertwined with different signs and images, the contents shinning a soft silver. Coming closer he couldn't help the sudden trance his eyes became attached to, when gazing within the snow white well. There were different images going within, all of them, he reasoned, from the past. His mind came to that conclusion due to the fact that it was Saix he was seeing in the silvery liquid.

Not only Saix, but Axel and Demyx as well, the three of them facing of two girls, one of them currently residing within the Headquarters, the other unknown to him. The image shifted towards one he preferred not to have seen; he knew who the man in red bandages was, but at the same time, he knew nothing of the green haired woman that was greeting him. He could feel it again, transpiring through the well, the same flux of time he had felt in the room. The woman was the cause of such thing, and he could see, that her control was ever greater than his.

The image shifted once again to show DiZ and the woman standing in this room, the other girl from the fight close to them. Something surfaced from the well, and the chestnut haired girl made it disappear. He knew now that his luck had leaded him to the right place, and he smirked at the lack of luck the girl was about to experience; his boss would be pleased, and Saix even more if he found out that there was a chance to transform the girl into a Heartless.

The madman had demonstrated clearly through his arrogance that the girl was to suffer at his hands. It had been a long time since he saw such a face in Saix; that face that promised pain, a look that demonstrated interest. According to Axel, the girl was currently in Twilight Town helping those two that tried everything to put a stop to their actions. He had a slight suspicion that Saix would be the first to offer his services to retrieve the weapon.

Turning around he smirked at the surprised gaze that was watching him. His mission had already been complete, so there was no need to bring problems onto him. It was time to inform Xemnas where the glaive look-alike was and with whom. The green-haired female in front of him adopted a fighting stance when her eyes travelled over his cloak, and his smirk turned wider.

Waving goodbye at the woman, he let his feet carry him backwards towards the portal that had opened there. They would never know what he had been doing and she'd be delayed by his little white friends. For the last time, his eyes caught the Nobodies advancing towards the female, and a large purple globe exploded against the closing portal, his mind echoing one last thought _No such luck, lady._

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From the building's roof they had been able to see the Struggle Tournament in which Roxas and his friend were participating. It seemed that Hayner, a blond spiky haired boy, was still a bit angry with Roxas. She knew better though, and it wasn't much of a surprise when they had solved everything after Roxas defeated the boy.

She had to say that this kind of tournament made her laugh. It seemed oddly childish, but most of the fighters in it had the most amazing moves she had ever seen in her life. She had to admit that it brought her into a trance to watch the intricate movements, so she observed it with intensity, like any good warrior. It could come in hand some day.

Namine was ecstatic by her side, and it seemed the girl had great respect for the boy that was about to face of the little hat wearing kid. Vivi was the name of his opponent, and she had to admit that the kid was kind of weird, not his appearance in itself, but he was acting in a weird way, and from what she knew, he was nothing like that. He had even won against someone that was far superior to him.

She could see that Roxas was struggling against the little fellow, but it didn't take much for the fight to end, with Roxas possessing a bigger number of orbs. That was the objective of the fight, prevent your enemy from getting your orbs until the time ended. Something she found just as ridiculous, but at least it prevented the fights from taking too long.

A cold shiver swept over her spine, and she felt the girl by her side paralyze in shock. Something wasn't well, and looking closely at the arena she saw some Dusk Nobodies surround Roxas, who was looking around at the audience that seemed to have been stopped in time. It seemed to her that the world had changed, and by her side she felt Namine scream something at Roxas, since he was struggling with the Nobodies. The struggle bat wouldn't help in this situation.

Blue clashed with emerald, and she was surprised to see such blue in someone else that wasn't her queen, regardless if Minako had eyes just as beautiful. Those eyes made her stomach churn in recognition, and she had to grab the ledge of the building before her wobbly legs betrayed her. Roxas turned to face his enemies, and she watched in surprise his bat turn into a big key, its sharp end shinning in the digital sun. The so spoken great Keyblade; the key of destiny.

She wanted to jump in there and help him, but her legs wouldn't let her recover from that sensation, from the surprise. He didn't need her help though, because the enemies didn't take long to disappear. Calming her speedy heart, she watched in frustration, mimicking the others gaze, as more Dusk surrounded Roxas, and a clap of hands echoed in the air.

Namine pulled her back just as a red-haired youth stood before the boy. The first thing she noticed was his Organisation cloak, and it wasn't long after, that she realised why Namine was pulling her back. The girl had probably been told to not let her come face to face with the other Nobodies. She couldn't blame them however, since the anger that was welling inside of her was pulling her body like a magnet towards the arena, regardless Namine's effort to get her into the portal.

"Long time no see Roxas, Number XIII." The boring tone of that voice made her pull herself completely from Namine's grasp, and she clenched her fists at the ledge, looking intently at the developments there. It was no surprise to her, because she already knew that the young boy had been a member of the group and that his lack of knowledge on his former self had made him defect.

When familiar flaming chakram materialised into the hands of the red-head, her mind snapped any reasonable thought away, and her body moved on its own towards the door of the roof. She had no idea of how many minutes it took her to reach the end floor, but she had been conscious, all the way down the stairs, that her padding feet had matched the sound of her thumping heart. Breaking free from the building, she ran up onto the arena, stepping in front of a gasping Roxas.

The man in front of her was also gasping, and she was aware that they had probably been fighting. Maybe she had taken more time than she thought she had. Green irises, almost equal to hers, became slightly startled, and she saw instant anger take its grip on him. The bastard who had taken Hotaru and the one that was going to suffer her wrath. Sneering at him for daring to show anger, she let the gift of her kingdom come forth in her hands, green lightning crackling furiously between her fingers.

The Organisation member tsked "Now this is what I call luck. I was telling your friend this morning just how much I'd like to see you dead, and it seems I'll be able to do so."

"My friend…? Where is Hotaru you bastard? And what have you done to her?" He only smirked at her question, and it wasn't soon after that she felt his weapon whiz in front of her shirt due to her dodge. His attacks kept coming and she didn't spare time to throw some attacks at him, varying the intensity of her electric shocks. Her hands weren't helping that much against his weapon however, and it wasn't soon until she found her body thrown to the side. Her legs were shaking while she raised her body from the floor, and her lungs were giving her a hard time due to the large amounts of oxygen she was trying to bring in.

The man in front of her was gasping as well, probably having some difficulty breathing due to the adrenaline. She was quite surprised when Roxas stepped at her front, his Keyblade raised against the enemy "What is going on here? Who are you guys?"

The red haired man just grunted and relaxed slightly "It's time to go back, Roxas number thirteen, the Keyblade's chosen one." The blonde just shook his head "Can't you see Roxas, this world, it was created by him."

"You aren't going anywhere without telling me where Hotaru is and what you've done to her!" Makoto shouted in anger.

"You are such a waste of time. I really can't understand why the little princess would worry so much for people like you, and I really can't understand why Saix didn't kill you when he had the chance." He turned around, his side profile quite taunting, smiling a little mocking smile "Maybe I should go to that stupid place and destroy your world."

Her eyes widened in shock, and she felt her energy pulse with anger. She was slightly aware of the electricity that was cracking around her, little tile fragments dissolving around her feet and from the arena, and surrounding her body. Fingers wrapped around cold metal, smooth surface resting comfortably in unknown hands. Eyes equally emerald widened in slight astonishment and surprise, but her body didn't want to let him have time to react, and she felt it slide towards him.

She was about to strike him down when her back collided against something hard and firm, a strong harm wrapped around her waist. A deep voice startled her from behind, and the silent command made her body tingle "Calm down."

"Well look who it is?!" That taunting voice made her remember what she was going to do, and her eyes snapped to the side only to see DiZ with his hands behind his back. She watched as the fiery chakram went straight for the bandaged man, only to bounce off a seemingly digital barrier.

"I suggest you don't believe in anything he says, Roxas." DiZ said to the apparently confused boy "Just try to remember quickly who you really are."

"Roxas don't pay mind to him." The red haired shouted, and she watched in apprehension as the boy looked from the Organisation member to the infuriating bandaged man. She could only guess on his confusion towards everything that was going on around him. It probably didn't help the matter that the two parties were calling out to the boy.

Blue eyes looked so lost, searching everywhere without finding anything. Roxas parted his lips, the last thing she heard before a white flash of light burst everywhere, was the shouting of three distinct names "Hayner, Pence, Olette." Those were the names of Roxas's closest and best friends, now created in a digital world just for DiZ's purpose to make Roxas remember who he was before everything happened.

Everything had gone strangely quiet, and she swore, as far as her closed eyes could allow, that there was the annoying fizz of a computer working nearby. Getting enough courage to pry her eyes open, she was slightly startled to see that she wasn't outside anymore, or as much outside as she could be in a digital world, but rather in the computer room where DiZ spent most of his time analysing Sora's data.

Riku, she had realised it was him a while ago, was still holding her waist, and the distinct metallic feeling could still be perceived by her sensitive fingers, but she paid no mind to it, simply gazing at the man that was sat at the computer and that was looking at her passively.

"That was rather brash of you." He got up from his seat, approaching her calmly and she felt her body straightening against the hard chest, shrugging Riku's arm from around her although he didn't let go completely "One would think that someone of your stature would be able to control emotions and reactions better."

She went for the daring response "Well, what can I say? Some of us actually have emotions and act on them."

He only narrowed his eyes "So it seems. But that is not the point, is it now?" The man folded his hands into his sleeves "What you should have thought was, that you would be putting your life and others lives in danger, by flashing that weapon around." Makoto looked at the side, and her eyes widened in surprise. She had known, unconsciously, that in her fit of anger she had summoned Saturn's Silent Glaive.

She had made herself into a target "Now we have to worry both for you and for Roxas, as if our first task wasn't enough." He went on, and she felt guilt and shame well in the pit of her stomach; the irritable feeling of the familiar sting behind her eyes told her that her resolve to stand up to him was about to dissolve into nothingness.

"You were the one to seek help from my queen, so if you don't want me here, you just have to say it." She felt Riku's hand completely slip from her waist and his presence shift from behind her to her left side.

"You are correct." He paused "However, the task that was requested of you was already completed, so it would have been helpful if you had made our task and situation easier, if you had kept yourself from the Organisation's line of fire." DiZ sighed and turned towards his chair "It doesn't matter anymore where you stay. Be it in your kingdom or here, your life is still in danger, and so are the lives of those around you."

Biting her quivering lip and keeping her eyes on the floor, Makoto let the glaive disappear into nothingness. "They won't get the glaive from me anyhow, not even if they kill me." And she turned around, trying hard not to trip in her own hurried steps, ignoring the footsteps that were following her.

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She felt small. Not the kind of smallish feeling that comes from height, but the smallish feeling of someone who was way behind the power of those that surround them. Hotaru couldn't be blamed however, not when there where thirteen giant white chairs, each with its own height, surrounding her.

She had been standing there for some hours already, under the seething glares of some of the men in the room. They had found out. _He_ had found out. The white haired scary man, who was contemplating her with a calm she didn't know was possible in a villain, but then again, she didn't know how evil these people could be. Who was to blame when the only thing that was desired, was to feel again? Definitely not them and certainly not her either.

However she couldn't accept the means they used to achieve an end. The room had gone quiet when she had said that she couldn't call the glaive, the man that had been standing before her, had turned his back on her and sat himself on the chair, the rest of the members looking at her from their high positions. Except Axel, who had gone to get Roxas. There was also another member missing; the one that had been ordered to search for the weapon in her world, after she had refused to say anything else about it, and commanded to destroy anything that got in his way.

She didn't know why, but Makoto had flashed in front of her eyes, and so had Haruka. What had they done with the glaive when she was taken from Crystal Tokyo? They were probably unaware that this Organisation needed her, and subsequently, the weapon that was somewhere back home, in her tower. One thing, however, was always repeating itself in her mind; she would never open the door to a world that was covered in darkness. That heart shaped moon would never be opened by her hands as a mean to cover all of what was around her in darkness, just because they wanted to find their hearts.

A dark portal opened besides her and a dark cloaked figure stepped out, who it was she didn't know. Axel or the other man, Luxord? Pushing his hood down, the ponytail-haired man made a slight bow "Mission complete, or as complete as it can be." He waved his hands. Hotaru felt slightly panicked, her mind and heart going into overdrive in an instant and at the same time.

The imposing lieder glanced at her slowly, seconds after redirecting it to the blond that was by her side, and resting his chin over his hand "And what have you found out?" The man was about to open his mouth when another portal opened at her other side, this time a disgruntled Axel stepping out. For a moment she saw Luxord get annoyed, but he quickly calmed down settling for an irritating grin when Axel shot him a glare.

The deep and high voice rung again "You've come just in time Axel. It seems our little guest forgot to bring some of her essentials on this little trip, and Luxord has just gone to find where they are." He moved his chin onto his other hand "You'll report to me, on Roxas status, a bit later. I'm afraid my curiosity is spiked now, by Luxord's little visit."

Hotaru looked at the red haired man, and she noticed the slightly calculating glance he was giving her "Yeah, yeah. Go on with your little meeting." Was his annoyed reply; he seemed in an even fowler mood than he was this morning.

Luxord cleared his throat and began his speech "There seems to be someone with powers over time in that world, and it was through a time monitoring spring that I got the information we needed." He seemed to go off into his own little world "I really want to see how strong that woman's powers are over time… that room was intoxicating, filled with little time fragments, unnoticeable to those who don't know anything about the stream of time…"

"Get on with it will you? Geez, you old geezers really get the kick off of something really stupid. Going on about how good you are…" She almost felt compelled to laugh at the snide remark from Axel if it wasn't for the severity of the situation. Luxord glared as much as he could with his only eye, seeing as the other one had an eye-patch over it.

"Anyways, as I was trying to say before being rudely interrupted by some random dude, the little princess's weapon isn't in her world anymore." Axel stiffened by her side, and the lieder of Organisation XIII straightened in his chair, looking at the three of them as if they kept the biggest secret in the whole world.

"Is that so? Do you perhaps know where it is then?" Asked the white haired lieder.

"Of course I do, or else I wouldn't be the luckiest man in all the worlds. That spring I mentioned before displays all type of occurrences, although I didn't get to see anything of the future, I did see Saix's attack to their world and what happened after that." The people around them seemed to be screaming 'and' with their glares turned on him "That girl that is with the old man is the one that has the weapon."

_Oh no, Makoto…_Of course, she had completely forgotten. That man, that Axel and now Luxord had mentioned, was trying to stop the Organisation from reaching its goals, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he knew that they would need her weapon, therefore when asking for Usagi's help, he'd tell her that Saturn's powers were what these men wanted, and consequently, why Makoto had been helping him.

This time it was Saix who spoke, speaking the doubts of everyone in the room "Are you sure of this? Can that water you speak of really be truthful and not a mere illusion to trick us?"

Luxord seemed taken back for a couple of seconds, but his face rapidly contorted into one of anger "Do you really think I don't know how to distinguish an illusion from what is real? And are you forgotten of what my powers are based on and what they can do?" His lips lifted in a sneer "If you had done your job right, I wouldn't even have to be justifying what I saw…"

"The weapon is with the girl." Her heart froze at that vengeful tone "I saw it with my own eyes when she tried to attack me in a fit of rage." She knew in that moment, as her heart filled with both anger and sorrow, that Makoto would be in more danger now than she had ever been. Her eyes fell onto the floor and her shoulders slumped slightly; she felt so powerless "It was because of her that I was unable to capture Roxas."

The superior hummed and averted his eyes onto the side "Is that so?" There was a strange silence, and she lifted her gaze just for it to be met by amber irises. The white haired man was contemplating her, as if imagining what would come out of a story where she was the protagonist, not that she wasn't already "It seems we have two choices here. Do you care to hear them out?"

She noted with some apprehension that his words and questions were once again directed at her. Standing in a more regal posture thought to her by Minako, she nodded her head, her voice still too hidden in her body due to the occurrences in the morning. Her fight with Axel had left her more tired, emotionally at least, than she had credited it for.

"You see, we have two simple options. One would be you going to meet with your friend and ask for your weapon back, seeing as I'm sure she would give it to you, and the other would be me sending some of the Organisation's members to retrieve the weapon at all costs, without any regard to the damage done to human beings." He made a pause, probably trying to intimidate her by making her think carefully on the implications "I'm giving you the choice to either save your friend or be the cause of her death."

Was there even choice in his so supposed options? She was certain that there was none, or at least none that she was willing to sacrifice. The senshi meant everything to her, they were her family, and she couldn't allow them to die just because she had been immature enough to make the right choice. The world never had meant nothing to her, although Hotaru had to admit that its innocence had more than captivated her, an innocence that she had always wished to bear.

Hotaru felt even more useless than ever; a gripping remorse that was always clenshing her heart in the situations she less wished; she was sure she'd be better off without that regret. The tension in the room was rising, and she could swear that the atmosphere had become thick with bloodlust and a craving to hurt. Torturous.

"Do I really have any choice?" She murmured lowly.

"Be glad that you have a choice of saving your friend." Hotaru was surprised to hear the boring voice murmur back, almost trying to go unnoticed "Not many have."

Sparing a sideways look to the red-haired and swallowing the thick knot that had formed in her throat, Hotaru couldn't help but close her eyes and breath in deeply, her tongue moving to murmur the most silent words she had ever murmured "I'll go."

"Could you repeat that again?" Came the strong reply from above.

Breathing in again, she raised her voice until it bounced of the white binding walls "I said I'll go get the weapon from Makoto."

The golden eyes of the Superior glinted in the unbearable white and his lips quirked the slightest bit "Very well then," he paused and turned to Demyx "take our guest to her room. I'm sure that the day's events left her completely tired, and she'd probably work better rested."

Hotaru's mouth opened once again to speak, but the words did not allow themselves to be spoken. She closed her thin lips and then opened them again "When will I have to go?"

"I'll inform you when the time comes." The superior waved a hand dismissively and her shoulders slumped in defeat. It didn't take long until she was once again walking through the long corridors of her new prison, melancholic thoughts plaguing her young and wise mind, and Demyx leading her.

_I'm sorry girls, I'm really sorry for failing you…_

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Her vision was edged by black frames, all around her being perceived as something brought out of a bad dream. Makoto didn't even bother to close the door of her room, her mind only focused on finding her communicator. She had to tell the others that the Organisation had seen her in possession of the glaive, and that they'd probably find out, sooner or later, that Hotaru didn't have it.

The small devise trembled within her grasp, nervous fingers hesitant in accomplishing what her duty was after a failed mission. She hadn't failed completely though, because the weapon of silence was still within her possession. She had failed however in keeping that information secret, so her leader and her queen had to know.

Sitting herself on the bed, she let the lid slide open, her finger automatically dialling what she had memorised by heart. It didn't take much until Minako's regal and happy face flashed on. She noted something off about her friend however, and her perceptive senses let her distinguish the worry in those deep blue eyes.

"Mako-chan, it's so good to see you. How's everything been?" Minako, always trying to cover up her emotions, acting as sovereign as their queen or maybe even more.

"Everything's been okay but I'm afraid I don't bring happy news Mina." Her friend's eyes mirrored the sorrow that surfaced in her emerald eyes, and she knew for a fact that good news didn't come from that side neither. Had someone been hurt? Had any of the towers fallen?

"What a fate that when we get in contact, it's to exchange bad news." Minako looked to the side, her bangs sliding over her face "Things went wrong Makoto, and I'm afraid that you're in danger at this moment."

She felt her brows furrow in confusion, her eyes parting more in slight attention "What do you mean?"

"Those guys from the Organisation where here today in Setsuna's tower." Minako breathed in, calmly exhaling the oxygen in her lungs "She said that the one that was there might have seen something in the waters. In fact, she's absolutely sure that he saw something."

"So that means that they know I have the weapon." She muttered certainly.

"Not completely Makoto, they might not have believed it."

Makoto shook her head, her throat constricting in guilt due to the words she knew had to be spoken "By now I'm sure they're quite certain that the Glaive is in my hands." Her friend gave her a questioning look "I used the Glaive today, when the enemy's taunting called my most idiotic and irrational side. That's why I say they are probably certain I have Hotaru's weapon by now, and of course, it won't take long until they come to get it."

Minako made a long pause, probably measuring consequences and probabilities "I see. Makoto, there is only one thing I'll ask you at this point, and that is to not blame yourself. Nothing has happened so far, and I'll talk with the others to see what they think should be done, although I do believe that Usagi will demand that you come back immediately."

She had to smile at those words, opting for not saying anything in case they did decide to call her back. She's never return, not now, not without Hotaru. Not only that, but also to prevent destruction in case the Organisation went after the weapon, therefore she would never put her world in danger, not even if she had to jump from world to world to prevent them from being doomed to the eternal bliss of darkness.

"I'll talk with you later Makoto, so make sure to keep yourself safe and away from any possible confrontation with those guys." Minako smiled one last time until the screen on the communicator went black. She closed the lid of the small device, letting it fall softly besides her on the bed. It wasn't the end of the world, at least not yet, but all of this made her feel horrible, and she didn't even know why.

"So you're going back home?" She didn't even turn to face the voice at her door, and she surely didn't want to bear another sermon on responsibilities, seeing as she was quite sure of them, or at least those that came of her job and duty as a sailor warrior.

"No one said anything about going home."

"To tell you the truth, from my point of view it seems like you're turning your back on things at the first signs of trouble." He remarked.

She tried keeping her raging emotions at bay, breathing as evenly as she could under the pressure of the adrenaline the tension was producing "Does it now? So what? What if I go home? It'll be less trouble and work for you guys."

"So you are really running away." Why the hell was he being so insistent on his point? She got up and turned towards the door, eyes blazing in irritation.

"What the hell? It does seem like that from your accusations, but did you even hear the whole conversation? Did I even say to my friend I'd be going back?"

Riku had his hood down, the tan foreign face framed by long white bangs. His posture got wearier "You didn't even argue with the prospect of going back home, and looking at your conversation with DiZ, that seems the only viable option that you'd take."

She released a bitter laugh "So now I look like a coward, to the point that you accuse me of trying to run away? Well I'd say I'm learning things about me that I didn't know existed, or maybe I knew and never wanted to admit."

"No one called you a coward Makoto." He took calm strides towards her, and she took an unconscious step back, her legs bumping slightly against the night stand. He seemed calmer, the accusing and uncaring glare partly gone from those amber eyes that were not his. Then she felt it. Rough fingers brushing her cheek, cleansing away something she didn't know had fallen there.

"When frustration gets the best of us," he spoke again "we turn to the most prominent and yet stupid options to escape whatever got us into that kind of frenzy." When she relented to the hand cleaning away the despair, Riku pulled from her and looked at her with Ansem's amber eyes "You're here for a reason, just as there is a reason for us allowing you here. We just want to help, and we'll do it no matter the consequences."

Makoto could only feel her heart calm down, from what she had yet to find out, but his words had calmed the raging emotions in her, and in a certain way, awakened others. Smiling slightly, she opted to keeping her voice quiet, because she was sure he understood everything just by that smile, just as she understood any action from him, because it had been like that, without any of the two knowing how, since the beginning. The understanding had always been there.

"Let's go train a little, to make sure you're ready in case they come after the weapon." And she just smiled again, nodding her head in affirmation and following behind him, clearly aware of the dried tears that had once fallen down her cheeks.

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Hope you liked it, and that it wasn't too boring... seeing as it's long and all... Criticism would be apreciated, so feel free to leave it. Thanks for the support and once again sorry for the tardiness of the chapter, and just to let you guys know, I'm not gonna promise any chapters. They'll come up when I can put them up. See you guys around ;)


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